Push Mate Assisted Electrical Connector

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a user contact member, a housing, a plurality of electrical contacts, and a slide. The user contact member has a first extending arm. The first extending arm includes a first cam projection. The housing has a first arm slot. The first arm slot receives the first extending arm. The plurality of electrical contacts are mounted in the housing. The slide is positioned between the first extending arm and the second housing. The slide includes a first cam slot and a second cam slot. The first cam slot receives the first cam projection. The second cam slot is adapted to receive a second cam projection of a mating electrical connector. The electrical connector is configured to receive at least one wire between the housing and the user contact member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features of the present invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector comprising features of the invention and a mating electrical connector;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of some of the components of the electrical connector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mating electrical connector shown in FIG. 1 and the electrical connector with the housing shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the two electrical connectors shown in FIG. 1 in a fully mated position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view as in FIG. 4 with the housing of the electrical connector shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of an electrical connector comprising features of the invention and a mating electrical connector;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the mating electrical connector shown in FIG. 6 and the electrical connector with the housing shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the two electrical connectors shown in FIG. 6 in a fully mated position;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view as in FIG. 8 with the housing of the electrical connector shown in phantom lines; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the two electrical connectors shown in FIG. 8 with a sectional view of some of the components.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising: a user contact member having a first extending arm, wherein the first extending arm comprises a first cam projection;a housing having a first arm slot, wherein the first arm slot receives the first extending arm;a plurality of electrical contacts mounted in the housing; anda slide disposed between the first extending arm and the second housing, wherein the slide comprises a first cam slot and a second cam slot, wherein the first cam slot receives the first cam projection, and wherein the second cam slot is adapted to receive a second cam projection of a mating electrical connector;wherein the electrical connector is configured to receive at least one wire between the housing and the user contact member.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first cam slot is open in a direction opposite to a direction of connector mating.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the second cam slot is open in a direction of connector mating.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the user contact member further comprises a snap-lock latch section which snap-lock connects to the housing.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein a closed end of the first cam slot is adjacent a closed end of the second cam slot.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein a portion of the first cam slot extends from an outward facing side of the slide to an inward facing side of the slide.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a cable entrance area.

8. An electrical connector comprising: a housing;a plurality of electrical contacts mounted in the housing;a user contact member having at least two extending arms, wherein the extending arms are disposed within the housing, and wherein the user contact member forms a wire dress cover; anda pair of slides disposed between the at least two extending arms, wherein the slides engage with the extending arms; wherein the second housing is disposed between the pair of slides, and wherein the slides are adapted to engage with a mating electrical connector;wherein the electrical connector is configured to receive at least one wire between the housing and the user contact member.

9. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein the user contact member further comprises a top section, wherein the at least two extending arms extend from opposite lateral sides of the top section.

10. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein the at least two extending arms each further comprises a first cam projection.

11. The electrical connector of claim 10 wherein the first cam projections are received by first cam slots of the pair of slides.

12. The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein the first cam slot extends from an outward facing side of the slide to an inward facing side of the slide.

13. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein the housing further comprises arm slots and slide slots, wherein the arm slots receive the at least two extending arms, wherein the slide slots receive the pair of slides, and wherein the arm slots and the slide slots intersect each other.

14. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein the housing further comprises an electrical wire entrance/exit aperture.

15. An electrical connector comprising: a user contact member having a first extending arm;a housing having an arm slot and a slide slot, wherein the arm slot and the slide slot intersect each other, and wherein the arm slot receives the first extending arm;a plurality of electrical contacts mounted in the housing; anda slide disposed within the slide slot, wherein the slide comprises a first cam slot on a first side of the slide and a second cam slot on a second side of the slide, wherein the first cam slot and the second cam slot are reversely angled to one another, wherein the first cam slot is aligned with the arm slot, and wherein the second cam slot is adapted to engage with a mating electrical connector;wherein the electrical connector is configured to receive an electrical cable between the housing and the user contact member.

16. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein the first cam slot receives a first cam projection of the user contact member.

17. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein the housing further comprises a side wall, wherein the arm slot and the slide slot are within the side wall, and wherein the first extending arm is between the slide and an outer surface of the side wall.

18. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein the first cam slot is open at a top side of the slide, and wherein the second cam slot is open at a bottom side of the slide.

19. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein the housing further comprises an aperture adapted to receive a portion of the mating electrical connector.

20. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein the user contact member further comprises a snap-lock latch section which snap-lock connects to the housing.