Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6217354
-
Patent Number
6,217,354
-
Date Filed
Monday, March 20, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, April 17, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Bradley; Paula
- Harvey; James
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 157
- 439 372
- 439 374
- 439 347
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A lever type electrical connector assembly includes a first connector having an actuating lever pivotally movably mounted thereon. The actuating lever includes a first cam groove formed therein. A slide member is linearly movably mounted on the first connector and includes a second cam groove formed therein. The slide member has a first cam follower projection engaged in the first cam groove of the actuating lever, whereby pivotal movement of the actuating lever relative to the first connector effects linear movement of the slide member relative to the first connector. A second connector has a second cam follower projection to be engaged in the second cam groove of the slide member, whereby the connectors are mated and unmated in response to rotation of the actuating lever and resulting translation of the slide member.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to an electrical connector having a lever whereby mating and unmating of the connector with a second connector is effected by rotation of the lever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical lever type electrical connector assembly includes a first connector which has an actuating lever rotatably mounted thereon for connecting and disconnecting the connector with a complementary mating second connector. The actuating lever and the second connector typically have a cam groove/cam follower arrangement for drawing the second connector into mating condition with the first connector in response to rotation of the lever.
A common structure for a lever type electrical connector of the character described above is to provide a generally U-shaped lever structure having a pair of lever arms which are disposed on opposite sides of the first (“actuator”) connector. The lever arms may have cam grooves for engaging cam follower projections or posts on opposite sides of the second (“mating”) connector.
Such lever type connectors often are used where large forces are required to mate and unmate a pair of connectors. For instance, terminal and housing frictional forces encountered during connecting and disconnecting the connectors may make the process difficult to perform by hand. The present invention is directed to solving various problems with such connectors, including providing a system for increasing the forces available for mating and unmating the connectors. In addition, the system of the invention solves the problem of the connectors rocking or skewing during mating and unmating.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved lever type electrical connector assembly.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, a first connector pivotally mounts an actuating lever which includes a first cam groove formed therein. A slide member is linearly movably mounted on the first connector and includes a second cam groove formed therein. The slide member has a first cam follower projection engaged in the first cam groove of the actuating lever. Therefore, pivotal movement of the actuating lever relative to the first connector effects linear movement of the slide member relative to the first connector. A second connector has a second cam follower projection to be engaged in the second cam groove of the slide member, whereby the connectors are mated and unmated in response to rotation of the actuating lever and resulting translation of the slide member.
As disclosed herein, the actuating lever comprises one actuating arm of a generally U-shaped lever structure having a pair of actuating arms pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the first connector. Correspondingly, a pair of the slide members are provided on opposite sides of the first connector. Each slide member includes a pair of the second cam grooves spaced laterally of the mating direction of the connectors and engageable by a pair of the second cam follower projections on the second connector. The first connector includes a housing and a support wall spaced outwardly of each side of the housing, with the actuating arms and slide members disposed therebetween.
Another feature of the invention includes complementary interengaging polarizing means between the slide members and the first connector to ensure that the proper slide member is mounted on the proper side of the first connector. In the preferred embodiment, the polarizing means comprise tongue -and-groove means of different sizes.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements in the figures and in which:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a lever type electrical connector assembly according to the invention, with the first and second connectors in a pre-mated position;
FIG. 2
is a side elevational view of the connector assembly, with the connectors separated prior to the pre-mated position;
FIG. 3
is a side elevational view of the connector assembly, with the connectors fully mated;
FIG. 4
is an end elevational view of the connector assembly looking toward the left-hand end of
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of the actuator connector with the shroud removed, with the lever structure lifted off of the housing and with the outer side wall of the housing broken away to facilitate the illustration;
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of the connector assembly in pre-mated condition and with the outer side wall of the actuator connector broken away to show the position of the slide members; and
FIG. 7
is a view similar to that of
FIG. 6
, with the assembly in its mated condition and with the outer side wall again broken away to show the mated position of the slide members.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first to
FIGS. 1-3
, the invention is embodied in a lever type electrical connector assembly, generally designated
10
. The assembly includes a first (“actuator”) connector, generally designated
12
, and a second (“mating”) connector, generally designated
14
. The connectors are shown separated in
FIG. 2
, in a pre-mated position in FIG.
1
and in a fully mated position in FIG.
3
.
Mating connector
14
includes a molded plastic housing
16
which is inserted into a molded plastic housing
18
of actuator connector
12
when the connectors are mated in the direction of arrow “A” (FIG.
2
). The actuator connector mounts a plurality of terminals which make contact with a plurality of terminals mounted in the mating connector. The terminals are not visible in the drawings, but they may comprise typical pin-and-socket or male-and-female terminals or other configurations. Further details of actuator connector
12
and mating connector
14
and their respective terminal arrangements will not be described herein, because the invention is applicable for a wide variety or range of electrical connector configurations.
Actuator connector
12
includes a shroud
20
which substantially covers the top thereof and combines with a bracket portion
22
of housing
18
to provide an opening
24
for ingress/egress of an electrical cable having conductors terminated to the terminals within the connector housing. A flexible latch arm
26
is integral with the shroud at a proximal end
26
a
of the arm. A distal end
26
b
of the latch arm is movable within a cutout
28
in the shroud, in the direction of double-headed arrow “B” (FIG.
1
). The distal end of the latch arm has a raised portion to define a latch shoulder
30
. Shroud
20
may be a separate component, such as of molded plastic material, appropriately assembled to the top of housing
18
of the actuator connector. The housing has a support wall
32
on each opposite side thereof and spaced outwardly from the housing. Each support wall includes a pivot journal in the form of a hole
34
.
As best seen in
FIG. 2
, housing
16
of mating connector
14
has a pair of cam follower projections or posts
36
which project outwardly from each opposite side thereof. The posts are spaced laterally of mating direction “A”. A molded support rib
38
leads from and is integral with each cam follower post
36
. The support ribs extend in the mating direction of the connectors as indicated by arrow “A”. Housing
16
, cam follower posts
36
and support ribs
38
all are unitarily molded of plastic material. The ribs provide support for the posts to prevent breakage of the posts.
Referring to
FIG. 5
in conjunction with
FIGS. 1-4
, a generally U-shaped lever structure, generally designated
42
, is pivotally mounted on housing
18
of actuator connector
12
. The lever structure is rotatable upwardly in the direction of arrow “C” (
FIG. 1
) to draw mating connector
14
into mated condition with the actuator connector. The U-shaped lever structure defines a pair of actuating arms
4
.
4
joined by a cross portion
46
which generally spans the width of the actuator connector. Each actuating arm has a pivot boss
48
on the outside thereof and a pivot boss
50
on the inside thereof. Each arm has an eccentric, arcuate cam groove
52
which extends from a closed end
52
a
to an open mouth
52
b
. A detent rib
54
extends across the open mouth. As clearly seen in
FIG. 5
, open mouth
52
b
of each cam groove
52
is at a greater radius from pivot bosses
48
/
50
than closed end
52
a
of the groove.
The free ends of actuating arms
44
of lever structure
42
are sandwiched between support walls
32
and housing
18
of the actuator connector. Outside pivot bosses
48
of the actuating arms project into pivot holes
34
in the support walls as best seen in FIG.
1
. Inside pivot bosses
50
of the actuator arms project into pivot holes
56
in housing
18
as best seen in FIG.
5
. Therefore, separate and independently interengaging pivots are provided between each actuating arm of the lever structure and the housing of the actuator connector on both the inside and the outside of the respective actuating arm. This prevents the two actuating arms of the U-shaped lever structure from spreading apart or moving outwardly of the connector housing during actuation and when encountering significant mating forces.
Still referring primarily to
FIG. 5
, a slide member
58
is linearly movably mounted on each opposite side of actuator connector
12
between outwardly spaced support walls
32
and housing
18
of the connector. Each slide member is a generally rectangular, elongated plate-like member which is slidable in a direction indicated by double-headed arrow “D”, i.e., generally perpendicular to the mating direction of the connectors. A plurality of bottom spacer bars
60
and a plurality of top spacer bars
62
are molded integrally between support walls
32
and housing
18
to define channels therebetween within which the slide members are linearly movable. Each slide member has a polarizing rib
64
for purposes to be described in greater detail hereinafter.
Each slide member
58
includes a pair of cam grooves
66
formed therein. The cam grooves are oblique to the mating direction “A” of the connectors as well as the sliding direction “D” of the slide member. The cam grooves are spaced laterally of the mating direction. Each cam groove extends from a closed end
66
a
to an open mouth
66
b
. A detent rib
68
extends across the open mouth. Finally, a cam follower projection
70
projects outwardly from each slide member
58
between cam grooves
66
near the closed ends thereof.
FIG. 6
shows a pre-mated position cf mating connector
14
with actuator connector
12
, and with lever structure
42
in an inoperative position. When in the inoperative position of the lever structure, cam follower projections
70
of slide members
58
are disposed in mouths
52
b
of cam grooves
52
in actuating arms
44
of the lever structure. When mating connector
14
is moved in the direction of arrow “A” (FIGS.
2
and
6
), cam follower posts
36
snap behind detent ribs
68
which span the open mouths of cam grooves
66
in the slide members. These detent ribs are effective to hold mating connector
14
in a pre-mated position with actuator connector
12
as seen in
FIG. 6
, so that an operator can easily manipulate and rotate lever structure
42
without concern that the mating connector will become disengaged from the actuator connector. Similarly, during assembly of the actuator connector, cam follower projections
70
of the slide members snap behind detent ribs
54
to hold the slide members in assembly behind support walls
32
and interengaged with the lever structure.
FIG. 7
shows lever structure
42
having been pivoted in the direction of arrow “C” to its fully operative position whereby cam grooves
52
drive slide members
58
in the direction of arrow “E”, as cam follower projections
70
on the slide members move in cam grooves
52
. In other words, pivotal or rotational movement of the lever structure effects linear or translational movement of the slide members. As the slide members move in the direction of arrow “E”, mating connector
14
is drawn in the direction of arrow “A”, into full mated position with actuator connector
12
, as cam follower posts
36
are forced to move along cam grooves
66
toward closed ends
66
a
thereof. When lever structure
42
reaches its final, fully mated position, cross portion
46
of the lever structure snaps behind latch shoulder
30
of flexible arm
26
of shroud
20
. This locks the lever structure in its final position and, thereby, locks the two connectors in their fully mated condition. When it is desired to unmate the connectors, distal end
26
a
of launch arm
26
is depressed to allow the lever structure to be rotated opposite the direction of arrow “C” back to its inoperative position shown in
FIGS. 1 and 6
. This forces cam follower projections
70
of slide members
58
back along cam grooves
52
and forces cam follower posts
36
of mating connector
14
back along cam grooves
66
of the slide members. The connectors then can be unmated by snapping the cam follower posts over detent ribs
68
at the mouths of cam grooves
66
.
Finally, referring back to
FIG. 4
, it can be seen that polarizing ribs
64
which project outwardly of slide members
58
are located at different vertical positions on the respective slide members and which project into differently positioned recesses
80
in the inside of support walls
32
. In other words, a pair of tongue-and-groove polarizing means of different configurations are provided to ensure that the right and left hand slide members are properly mounted on their respective proper sides of the actuator connector.
It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.
Claims
- 1. A lever type electrical connector assembly, comprising:a first connector; an actuating lever pivotally movably mounted on the first connector and including a first cam groove formed therein; a slide member linearly movably mounted on the first connector and including a second cam groove formed therein, the slide member having a first cam follower projection engaged in the first cam groove of the actuating lever whereby pivotal movement of the actuating lever relative to the first connector effects linear movement of the slide member relative to the first connector; and a second connector having a second cam follower projection to be engaged in the second cam groove of the slide member whereby the connectors are mated and unmated in response to rotation of the actuating lever and resulting translation of the slide member.
- 2. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said actuating lever includes a pair of pivot bosses on opposite sides thereof engageable in a pair of pivot journals on the first connector.
- 3. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said first connector includes a housing and a support wall spaced outwardly of the housing with the actuating lever and the slide member disposed therebetween.
- 4. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said actuating lever comprises one actuating arm of a generally U-shaped lever structure having a pair of actuating arms pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the first connector and including a pair of said slide members on opposite sides of the first connector.
- 5. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the second cam groove in said slide member includes a mouth with a detent for capturing the second cam follower projection in a pre-mated position of the second connector.
- 6. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said slide member includes a pair of said second cam grooves spaced laterally of the mating direction of the connectors and engageable by a pair of said second cam follower projections on the second connector.
- 7. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 6 wherein said second cam grooves are generally parallel to each other and oblique to the linear direction of movement of the slide member.
- 8. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 1, including a pair of said actuating levers and a complementary pair of slide members on opposite sides of the first connector, and including complementary interengaging polarizing means between the slide members and the first connector to ensure that the proper slide member is mounted on the proper side of the first connector.
- 9. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein said polarizing means comprise tongue-and-groove means of different configurations.
- 10. A lever type electrical connector assembly, comprising:a first connector including a housing and a support wall spaced outwardly of each side of the housing; a generally U-shaped lever structure having a pair of actuating arms pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the first connector between the housing and the outwardly spaced support walls thereof, each actuating arm including a first cam groove formed therein; a slide member linearly movably mounted on the first connector between the housing and each of the outwardly spaced support walls thereof, each slide member including a second cam groove formed therein, each slide member having a first cam follower projection engaged in the first cam groove of a respective one of the actuating arms, whereby pivotal movement of the lever structure relative to the first connector effects linear movement of the slide members relative to the first connector; and a second connector having a second cam follower projection on each opposite side thereof to be engaged in the second cam groove of a respective one of the slide members, whereby the connectors are mated and unmated in response to rotation of the lever structure and resulting translation of the slide members.
- 11. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 10 wherein each actuating arm of the lever structure includes a pair of pivot bosses on opposite sides thereof engageable in pivot journals on the housing and the respective support wall of the first connector.
- 12. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 10 wherein the second cam grooves in said slide members include mouths with detents for capturing the second cam follower projections in a pre-mated position of the second connector.
- 13. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 10 wherein each of said slide members includes a pair of said second cam grooves spaced laterally of the mating direction of the connectors and engageable by a pair of said second cam follower projections on the second connector.
- 14. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 13 wherein said second cam grooves are generally parallel to each other and oblique to the linear direction of movement of the slide members.
- 15. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 10, including complementary interengaging polarizing means between the slide members and the first connector to ensure that the proper slide member is mounted on the proper side of the connector.
- 16. The lever type electrical connector assembly of claim 15 wherein said polarizing means comprise tongue-and-groove means of different configurations.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5681175 |
Busse et al. |
Oct 1997 |
|
5938458 |
Krehbiel et al. |
Aug 1999 |
|