Connector inject and eject cam lever assembly

Claim 2

An inject and eject cam lever assembly for providing a mechanical advantage while forcing a first connector into a mated position with a second connector, the assembly comprising: a first protrusion for extending from a first side of either the first connector or the second connector; and a first lever for pivotably mounting about a pivot on a first side of the connector without the protrusion, the lever having a grip and a groove or slot for receiving the protrusion, the groove or slot having a mouth end, an inject cam surface and an eject cam surface, the cam surfaces having varying cam angles to control the mechanical advantage of the lever along its stroke, such that the connectors can be injected to and ejected from the mated position by positioning the first connector adjacent the second connector substantially before the force is applied, positioning the lever with the protrusion in the mouth end, applying a force on the grip in a first direction camming the protrusion against the inject cam surface until the connectors are in the mated position, and applying a force on the grip in a second direction camming the protrusion against the eject cam surface until the protrusion is substantially in the first position.

Claim 3

The inject and eject cam lever assembly of claim 1, wherein: the groove or slot is positioned between the pivot and the grip.

Claim 4

The inject and eject cam lever assembly of claim 1, wherein: the pivot is positioned between the grip and the groove or slot.

Claim 5

The inject and eject cam lever assembly of claim 1, wherein: the inject cam surface has a small step, ridge, dimple, detent or groove which deters or prevents the connectors from being being pulled apart without applying a force on the lever.

Claim 6

The inject and eject cam lever assembly of claim 1, wherein: the cam surfaces have at least one curved segment to increase the mechanical advantage when more force is needed to inject or eject the connectors.

Claim 7

The inject and eject cam lever assembly of claim 1, wherein: the distance between the pivot and the grip is longer than the distance between the pivot and the protrusion when the protrusion is in the groove or slot such that use of the lever provides a mechanical advantage in injecting and ejecting the connectors.

Claim 8

The inject and eject cam lever assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a second protrusion extending from a second side of the connector with the first protrusion, the second side of the connector distal to the first side of the connector; and a second lever pivotably mounted about a pivot on a second side of the connector without the protrusions, the second lever having a grip and a groove or slot for receiving the protrusion, the groove or slot having a mouth end, an inject cam surface and an eject cam surface, the cam surfaces having varying cam angles to control the mechanical advantage of the lever along its stroke, such that the connectors can be injected to and ejected from the mated position by positioning the first connector adjacent the second connector substantially before the force is applied, positioning the levers such that one of the protrusions is in a first position in each of the mouth ends, squeezing the grips initially generally towards one another and then forcing the grips generally away from each other while camming the protrusion against the inject cam surface until the connectors are in the mated position, and then squeezing the grips initially generally towards one another and then forcing the grips generally away from each other while camming the protrusion against the eject cam surface until the protrusion is substantially in the first position.

Claim 9

The inject and eject cam lever assembly of claim 1, wherein: the grip comprises a first finger indented portion, a second head portion connected to the first portion, and a third portion connected to the second head portion.

Claim 10

An electrical connector assembly comprising: a first connector having a housing and a plurality of electrical contact elements; a second connector having a housing and a plurality of electrical contact elements, the second connector adapted to mate with the first connector when a force is exerted to push or pull the connectors together; a first protrusion extending from a first side of the housing of either the first connector or the second connector; and a first lever pivotably mounted about a pivot on a first side of the housing of the connector without the protrusion, the lever having a grip and a groove or slot for receiving the protrusion, the groove or slot having a mouth end, an inject cam surface and an eject cam surface, the cam surfaces having varying cam angles to control the mechanical advantage of the lever along its stroke, such that the connectors can be injected to and ejected from a mated position by positioning the first connector adjacent the second connector substantially before the force is applied, positioning the lever with the protrusion in a first position in the mouth end, applying a force on the grip in a first direction camming the protrusion against the inject cam surface until the connectors are in the mated position, and applying a force on the grip in a second direction camming the protrusion against the eject cam surface until the protrusion is substantially in the first position.

Claim 11

An electrical connector assembly comprising: a first connector having a housing and a plurality of electrical contact elements; a second connector having a housing and a plurality of electrical contact elements, the second connector adapted to mate with the first connector when a force is exerted to push or pull the connectors together; a first protrusion extending from a first side of the housing of either the first connector or the second connector; and a first lever pivotably mounted about a pivot on a first side of the housing of the connector without the protrusion, the lever having a grip and a groove or slot for receiving the protrusion, the groove or slot having a mouth end, an inject cam surface and an eject cam surface, the cam surfaces having varying cam angles to control the mechanical advantage of the lever along its stroke, such that the connectors can be injected to and ejected from a mated position by positioning the first connector adjacent the second connector substantially before the force is applied, positioning the lever with the protrusion in a first position in the mouth end, applying a force on the grip in a first direction camming the protrusion against the inject cam surface until the connectors are in the mated position, and applying a force on the grip in a second direction camming the protrusion against the eject cam surface until the protrusion is substantially in the first position.

Claim 12

The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein: the groove or slot is positioned between the pivot and the grip.

Claim 13

The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein: the pivot is positioned between the grip and the groove or slot.

Claim 14

The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein: the inject cam surface has a small step, ridge, dimple, detent or groove which deters or prevents the connectors from being being pulled apart without applying a force on the lever.

Claim 15

The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein: the cam surfaces have at least one curved segment to increase the mechanical advantage when more force is needed to inject or eject the connectors.

Claim 16

The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein: the distance between the pivot and the grip is longer than the distance between the pivot and the protrusion when the protrusion is in the groove or slot such that use of the lever provides a mechanical advantage in injecting and ejecting the connectors.

Claim 17

The connector assembly of claim 9, further comprising: a second protrusion extending from a second side of the housing with the first protrusion, the second side of the housing distal to the first side of the housing; and a second lever pivotably mounted about a pivot on a second side of the housing of the connector without the protrusions, the second lever having a grip and a groove or slot for receiving the protrusion, the groove or slot having a mouth end, an inject cam surface and an eject cam surface, the cam surfaces having varying cam angles to control the mechanical advantage of the lever along its stroke, such that the connectors can be injected to and ejected from a mated position by positioning the first connector adjacent the second connector substantially before the force is applied, positioning the levers such that one of the protrusions is in a first position in each of the mouth ends, squeezing the grips initially generally towards one another and then forcing the grips generally away from each other while camming the protrusion against the inject cam surface until the connectors are in the mated position, and then squeezing the grips initially generally towards one another and then forcing the grips generally away from each other while camming the protrusion against the eject cam surface until the protrusion is substantially in the first position.

Claim 18

The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the first side of the housing connected to the lever includes: a first surface for inserting in the mating connector; a second surface with the first lever pivotably mounted about the pivot on the second surface; a third surface, where the first, second and third surfaces are parallel or generally parallel to one another; a first step separating the first and second surfaces; and a second step separating the second and third surfaces.

Claim 19

The connector assembly of claim 16, wherein the second step comprises: a first surface portion; and a second surface portion, such that the first surface portion contacts or stops a first edge portion of the lever when the lever is in its latched and mated position and the second surface portion contacts or stops a second edge portion of the lever when the lever is in its unlatched and unmated position.