EP0722203A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector assembly with improved camming system
Assignee: Molex LLC
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Filing: 1995-01-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-01-16
Abstract
Abstract The invention generally relates to a camming system for mating and unmating a pair of connectors having a housing mounting a plurality of terminals mateable with the terminals of the other connector and a camming system for moving the housings towards and away from each other along a mating axis (X). A lock slide member (30) is mounted on one of the housings (24) and slidably movable along a path (F) transverse to the mating axis. The lock slide member (30) is including at least one cam track (32) extending oblique to the mating axis and the other housing (17) has at least one cam follower (94) projecting into the cam track for mating the connectors in response to sliding movement of the lock slide member. According to the invention, a lever means (40) is pivotably mounted on the lock slide member (30), and an arcuated slot is disposed in the lever means (40) slidably engaging a projection (106) formed in one of the housings (24).
Inventors
- 👤 Frank Busse
- 👤 Theo Poll
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:55
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/629; H01R13/62977; H01R13/62905; H01R13/62922
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
Electrical connector assembly which includes first (16) and second (17) connectors each having a housing mounting a plurality of terminals mateable with the terminals of the other connector, and a camming system for moving the housings towards and away from each other along a mating axis (X) to mate and unmate the connector, a lock slide member (30) mounted on one of the housings (24) and slidably movable along a path (F) transverse to the mating axis, the lock slide member (30) including at least one cam track (82) extending oblique to the mating axis, the other housing (17) having at least one cam follower (94) projecting into the cam track for mating the connectors in response to sliding movement of the lock slide member, and lever means (40) for moving the lock slide member, characterized by the lever means (40) being pivotally mounted on the lock slide member (30), an arcuated guiding slot (105) disposed in the lever means (40) and slidably engaging a projection (106) formed in the one housing (24), and wherein an angular displacement of the lever means (40) is effecting a linear displacement of the lock slide member (30) adapted to forces encountered when moving said housings (17, 24) towards and away from each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
Electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the curvature of the arcuated guiding slot (105) varies along the longitudinal extension thereof so that an intersecting angle (β, βi, βf) between a tangent (112) of a circle (110) drawn around the pivot center (108) of the lever means (40) and the arcuated guiding slot (105) is smaller in a section of movement of the housings (17, 24) requiring higher mating or unmating forces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
Electrical connector assembly according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the first section (107) of the arcuated guiding slot (105) extends in a circumferential direction in relation to the pivot center (108) of said lever means (40), and the projection (106) of the one housing (24) is located in the direction of axis (X) essentially above or below the pivot center (108) at the begin of the motion of the housings (17, 24) towards each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
Electrical connector assembly according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the end section (109) of the arcuated guiding slot (105) extends in a circumferential direction in relation to the pivot center of said lever means (40) and the projection (106) of the one housing (24) is located essentially aside the pivot center (108) at the end of the motion of the housings (17, 24) towards each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
Electrical connector assembly according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the end section (109) of the arcuated guiding slot (105) extends radially inward in relation to the circumferential direction of the pivot center (108) of said lever means (40).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
Electrical connector assembly according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the width and/or the depth of the arcuated guiding slot (105) varies along the longitudinal extension thereof to provide camming or latching forces to the lock slide member (30) in the end section (109).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
Electrical connector assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the total angular displacement of said lever means (40) is in a range from about 130 to 150 degrees.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
Electrical connector assembly according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the connector assembly is modified in that the lever means (40) is pivotally mounted on the one housing (24) and the projection is formed on the lock slide member (30).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
Electrical connector assembly according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the connector assembly is modified in that the lever means (40) is pivotally mounted on the lock slide member (30) which is slidably held on the other housing (17) and the projection (106) is formed in the other housing (17).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
Electrical connector assembly according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the connector assembly is modified in that the lever means (40) is pivotally mounted on the other housing (17) and the projection is formed in the lock slide member (30) which is slidably held on the other housing (17).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
Electrical connector assembly according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the connector assembly is modified in that the lever means (40) is pivotally mounted on the lock slide member (30) which is slidably held on one of the housings (17, 24) and the projection (106) is formed in the other housing (17, 24).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US5183408A
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GB2271473A
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EP0606152A2
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