Connector inject and eject cam lever assembly

The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to cam levers for injecting and ejecting a connector from another part.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to 
cam levers for injecting and ejecting a connector from another part. 
2. Description of Related Art 
Electrical connectors for making large numbers of interconnections are used 
extensively in computers and other similar electronic apparatus. Although 
there is considerable variation in the known connector sizes, connectors 
for making 26 or more connections are very common. Each individual 
connection may be made by inserting a pin or male terminal in a socket or 
female terminal, or by joining two identical "hermaphroditic" terminals. 
Connectors typically include two components: a housing, shroud or shell 
member and a plurality of pins, sockets, terminals or electrical contact 
elements. The term housing or shell is typically used to refer to a 
plastic or metal package for holding a plurality of male, female or 
hermaphroditic terminals which are connected to the package. The term 
shroud is used to refer to a plastic or metal package for enclosing or 
protecting the plurality of male, female or hermaphroditic terminals which 
are not connected to the package, but, for instance, to a printed circuit 
board. 
A connector may be attached to the end of a multiple conductor cable. 
Alternatively, a first connector may mechanically and electrically 
interconnect a backpanel or mother printed circuit or wiring board with a 
second connector which is mechanically and electrically connected to a 
daughter printed circuit or wiring board. Since the daughter board or card 
is typically perpendicular to the mother board, a vertical edge card 
connector or a right angle connector may be used as the second connector. 
Many other applications are known to those skilled in the art. 
A female connector is a connector typically with female terminals and is 
commonly referred to as a receptacle. A male connector is a connector 
typically with male terminals and is commonly referred to as a header. 
Although the connector may provide a large number of connections, the 
spacing between the individual connections is typically relatively small 
(e.g., approximately 0.1 inches). The overall dimensions of many connector 
housing members and associated terminals are also relatively small. For 
example, mating faces of the housing member may measure approximately 0.25 
inches by 1.5 inches in a connector for making 26 connections in two 
parallel rows on 0.1 inch centers. 
Considerable force may be required to plug the receptacle into the header 
in the above-described connectors because of the large number of 
electrical connections being made simultaneously. For the same reason, 
considerable force may be required to unplug the receptacle from the 
header. 
It is known to provide ejecting latches on a header for releasably 
extracting a receptacle from the header. The known latches cooperate with 
ejection surfaces on the receptacle for separating the receptacle from the 
header when the latches are deliberately released. This greatly 
facilitates unplugging the receptacle from the header and eliminates the 
need for possibly destructive pulling on the relatively small connector 
contact elements or the components (e.g., cables or printed circuit 
boards) to which the connector contact elements are attached. See, for 
instance, U.S. Pat. 4,640,565 and 4,874,319. 
The ejecting latches described above are quite useful in ejecting the 
connectors apart. Some known ejecting latches further hold the connectors 
together once they are forced together. However, they do not facilitate 
plugging or inserting the connectors together. 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide injecting and 
ejecting latches for electrical connectors of the type described above. 
It is another object of this invention to provide injecting and ejecting 
latches for electrical connectors which can be easily operated even where 
there are several closely spaced connectors. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to 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. 
The present invention is further directed to 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.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
Throughout the following detailed description, similar reference characters 
refer to similar elements in all figures of the drawings. 
Referring to FIG. 1, several connector assemblies 10 made in accordance 
with the present invention are illustrated in combination with a printed 
circuit board 12. Each one of the connector assemblies 10 includes a first 
connector 26, a second connector 27 and at least one inject and eject (or 
injection and ejection) cam lever assembly 20 in accordance with the 
present invention. The cam lever assemblies 20 are illustrated on 
particular connector housings and in a particular printed circuit board 
apparatus 70, but can be used to facilitate inserting and/or unplugging 
virtually any two mateable connectors together and/or apart. Further, when 
the connectors are mated together, the inject and eject cam lever 
assemblies 20 secure, lock or latch the connectors together such that the 
connectors are prevented from being pulled apart without releasing the cam 
lever assemblies 20. 
The inject and eject cam lever assemblies 20 comprise at least one 
protrusion or knob 22 and at least one lever 24 on a mateable pair of 
connectors 26, 27. Each connector 26, 27 of the pair may be attached or 
attachable to an end of a multiple conductor cable 28, a flat side of a 
printed circuit or wiring board 12, an edge of a printed circuit or wiring 
board 12 or any other part, regardless of the configuration of the other 
connector 26, 27 in the pair. Each connector 26, 27 may be a vertical or 
right angle connector, regardless of the configuration of the other 
connector in the pair. Either one of the connectors 26, 27 can be a female 
connector with the other being a male connector mateable with the female 
connector. 
The mateable pair of connectors 26, 27 comprises a first connector 26 
having a first housing 30 and a second connector 27 having a second 
housing 31. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "housing" 
includes the structures typically referred to as connector housings, 
shells, shrouds, packaging and the like. Each housing 30, 31 may be 
secured to a plurality of male, female or hermaphroditic terminals 32. 
Alternatively, each housing 30, 31 may be for connection to a printed 
circuit board 12 and around a plurality of male, female or hermaphroditic 
terminals 32. However, the second housing 31 must be adapted to mate, or 
be mateable, with the first housing 30 when a force is exerted to push or 
pull the connectors 26, 27 with respect to each other. 
The protrusion or knob 22 extends from a first side 34 of the housing 30, 
31 of either the first connector 26 or the second connector 27. The lever 
24 is pivotably mounted about a pivot 36 on a first side 38 of the housing 
31 of the connector 27 without the protrusion 22. For illustration 
purposes, the Figures show the protrusion 22 on the first or lower housing 
30, but it could have been illustrated on the second or higher housing 31. 
If the protrusion is on the second housing 31, then the lever is pivotably 
mounted on the first housing 30. Preferably, the pivot 36 is closer to a 
first mating surface end 40 of the first side 34 than a second end of the 
first side 34 distal to the first end 40 of the first side 34. Preferably, 
the lever 24 has a substantially dog leg shape to provide a visual and 
tactile indicator of whether the connectors 26 are latched together by the 
lever 24 and the protrusion 22. The dog leg shape of the lever 24 includes 
a knee, elbow or bend. 
FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating parts of a first embodiment of the 
connector 31 in accordance with the present invention. The connector 31 is 
illustrated as a female connector or receptacle. In this embodiment, the 
connector 31 comprises at least one connector arrangement 84, 86, at least 
one housing portion 80, 82, and a pair of the inject and eject cam levers 
24 pivotably mounted to the housing portions 80, 82 by pivots 36. 
The connector arrangements 84, 86 can be any conventional connectors or 
connector assemblies. For instance, TLC connectors can be used as suitable 
connector arrangements 84, 86 in the present invention. TLC connectors are 
commercially available in assemblies having model/part number 83254-001 
from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company with offices in Wilmington 
Delaware. 
The housing portion 80, 82 can be any shape. For illustrative purposes, the 
housing portion is are depicted as two mateable clam shells. The shells 
80, 82 can be insulative, such as plastic, or conductive, such as metal. 
The housing portion can be integral with the connector arrangement or 
arrangements 84, 86. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the shells 
80, 82 can be separate parts detachable from each other and detachable 
from the connector arrangement or arrangements 84, 86. When the shells 80, 
82 are so separable, the housing 31 comprises the first shell 80 and the 
second shell 82. The first side 38 and the second side 39 of the clam 
shells 80 and 82 have a first surface 88, a second surface 89 and a third 
surface 90. The first, second and third surfaces 88, 89, 90 may be 
parallel or generally parallel to one another. The first and second 
surfaces 88, 89 are separated by a first step 91. The second and third 
surfaces 89, 90 are separated by a second step 92. When the connector 31 
is assembled, the first surface 88 on the shell 80 and the first surface 
88 on the shell 82 are spaced a distance D.sub.1 apart; the second surface 
89 on the shell 80 and the second surface 89 on the shell 82 are spaced a 
distance D.sub.2 apart; and the third surface 90 on the shell 80 and the 
third surface 90 on the shell 82 are spaced a distance D.sub.3 apart. 
Preferably, D.sub.1 is less than D.sub.2 ; and D.sub.2 is less than 
D.sub.3. One of the pivots 36 can be mounted in a hole 93 in each of the 
second surfaces 89. The second step 92 includes a first surface portion 94 
and a second surface portion 95. The first surface portion 94 contacts or 
stops a first edge portion 96 of the lever 24 when the lever is in its 
latched position. The second surface portion 97 contacts or stops a second 
edge portion 97 of the lever 24 when the lever 24 is in its unlatched 
position. The first surface portion 94 and the first edge portion 96 
preferably have corresponding contours. For instance, as illustrated in 
FIG. 2, the first surface portion 94 and the first edge portion 96 can be 
flat or substantially flat. Similarly, the second surface portion 95 and 
the second edge portion 97 preferably have corresponding contours. For 
instance, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the second surface portion 95 and the 
second edge portion 97 can be curved. The distance D.sub.1 is chosen such 
that the first surfaces 88 fit in the housing 34 of the mating connector 
30. The distance D.sub.2 is chosen such that the first steps 91 contact 
the top of the housing 34 of the mating connector 30 and, thus, prevent 
the second surfaces 89 from fitting into the housing 34. End sides 61 of 
the shells 80, 82 can have latching mechanisms 63 for detachably securing 
the shell 80 to the shell 82 securing the connector arrangement or 
arrangements 84, 86 within the shells 80, 82. The latching mechanisms 63 
may comprise at least one ramped bump 65 positioned in a groove 67 in 
either the end sides 61 of the shell 80 or the end sides 61 of the shell 
82. Then the latching mechanisms 63 could further include either a groove 
or a slot 69 beginning in tabs 71 in the other end sides 61 of the other 
shell. To connect the shells 80, 82 together, the tabs 71 are forced in 
the grooves or slots 69 until the ramped bumps 65 rest in the grooves or 
slots 69. To disconnect the shells 80, 82, the tabs 71 must be raised over 
the bumps 65. The ramps on the bumps 65 facilitate connection of the 
shells 80, 82, but the ramps do not facilitate disconnecting the shells 
80, 82. The end sides 61 of the shells 80, 82 may also have break away 
keys 73 for inserting in corresponding slots 75 in a mating connector 26. 
See FIG. 1. Break away sections 77 in the mating connector 26 must be 
removed extending the slots 75 to permit one of the keys 73 to enter the 
slot 75. One or more of the keys 73 can be snapped or broken off the 
shells 80, 82 and one of more corresponding break away section 77 can be 
left on the mating connector 26 in order to ensure that only certain 
connectors 27 mate with other connectors 26 or that certain end sides 61 
of connectors 26, 27 are always adjacent to one another when the 
connectors 26, 27 are mated. 
Each one of the levers 24 has a grip or grip portion 42 and a groove, slot, 
recess or pocket 44 for receiving the protrusion 22. The groove or slot 44 
has a mouth end 46, an inject cam surface 48, an eject cam surface 50 and 
a mated end 52. When the camming means 44 is a groove, slot or pocket, the 
groove, slot or pocket is in a side of the lever 24 adjacent the housing 
30. When the protrusion 22 is positioned in or substantially in the mated 
end 52, the connectors 26, 27 are latched together. See FIG. 3D. The 
inject cam surface 48 preferably include a small step, ridge, dimple, 
detent or groove 49 (each of these are considered equivalents for the 
purpose of this disclosure) which acts as a locking bump when detaching 
the connectors 26, 27 from one another. The small step 49 deters or 
prevents the connectors 26, 27 from being being pulled apart without 
applying a force on the lever 24. The cam surfaces 48, 50 have varying cam 
angles with respect to the protrusion 22 to control the mechanical 
advantage of the lever 24 along its stroke. In other words, the direction 
of the force applied by the cam surfaces 48, 50 on the protrusion 22 
varies depending on whether more or less force is needed to inject or 
eject the connectors 26, 27. The cam surfaces 48, 50 are shaped or 
contoured to increase the mechanical advantage when more force is needed 
to inject or eject the connectors 26, 27. The cam surfaces 48, 50 can be 
continuously curved. Alternatively, the cam surfaces 45, 50 can have 
segments with different shapes or curves. As such, the mechanical 
advantage of the assemblies 20 is not constant. One way of increasing the 
mechanical advantage is to cause the protrusion 22 to travel a longer 
distance along one of the cam surfaces 48, 50 when higher force is 
required to inject or eject the connectors 26, 27. 
The pivot 36 may be a rivot or nail-like extending through a passage 37 
through the lever 24 and staked into the housing 30 of one of the 
connectors 26. Alternatively, the pivot 36 may be a shaft extending 
through a passage 37 through the lever 24 and the connector 26 and trapped 
from sliding out from the lever 24 or connector 26, such as, by spring 
clips. In any case, the lever 24 must be pivotable or rotatable with 
respect to the connector 26. 
The grip 42 may extend around an edge of one end of the lever 24. 
Preferably, the grip 42 comprises a first finger indented portion 54, a 
second head portion 56 connected to the first portion 54, and a third 
substantially flat portion 58 connected to the second head portion 56. The 
third portion 58 is preferably substantially parallel to the first finger 
indented portion 54. The first, second and third portions 54, 56, 58 may 
be knurled to aid in gripping. 
The distance between the pivot 36 and the grip 42 is longer than the 
distance between the pivot 36 and any point in the groove or slot 44 that 
can be occupied by the protrusion 22 such that use of the lever 24 
provides a mechanical advantage in injecting and ejecting the connectors 
26. Increasing the distance between the pivot 36 and the grip 42 with 
respect to the distance between the pivot 36 and such points in the groove 
or slot 44 increases the mechanical advantage. Further, increasing the 
stroke length (increasing the length of the camming surfaces and 
decreasing their slopes) increases the mechanical advantage. 
The inject and eject cam lever assembly 20 may comprise one lever 24 and 
one protrusion 22 for each connector assembly 10. Preferably, however, the 
inject and eject cam lever assembly 20 comprises two of the levers 24 and 
two of the protrusions 22 for each connector assembly 10. In this case, a 
second protrusion 22 preferably extends from the second side 35 of the 
housing 30 with the first protrusion 22. The second side 35 of the housing 
30 is distal to the first side 34 of the housing 30. A second lever 24 is 
pivotably mounted about a pivot 36 on a second side 39 of the housing 31 
of the connector 27 without the protrusions 22. The second lever 24 has a 
grip 42 and a groove, slot, recess or pocket 44 for receiving the 
protrusion 22. The second groove or slot 44 has a mouth end 46, an inject 
cam surface 48, an eject cam surface 50 and a mated end 52. These inject 
cam surfaces 48 preferably include a small step, ridge, dimple, detent or 
groove 49 which acts as a locking bump when detaching the connectors 26, 
27 from one another. 
Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, one or more dimple, detent or raised portion 
60 may optionally be on either of the housings 26, 27 (or the lever 24) to 
stop or retain the levers 24 in one or more positions. 
FIG. 3A-3D illustrate the operation of the first embodiment of the 
connector assembly 10 of the present invention. In operation, the 
connectors 26, 27 can be injected to a fourth, mated and latched, position 
(illustrated in FIG. 3D) by first positioning the first connector 26 
adjacent the second connector 27 substantially before the force is 
applied. Then the levers 24 are positioned such that one of the 
protrusions 22 is in a first position in each of the mouth ends 46 of the 
grooves or slots 44. 
FIG. 3A is a schematic side view of the connector assembly 10 with the 
first embodiment of the pair of inject and eject cam lever assemblies 20 
in the first or unmated position in accordance with the present invention. 
In this embodiment, the protrusions 22 are on the first housing 30 and the 
levers 24 are pivotably mounted on the second housing 31. Here, the pivot 
36 is positioned between the grip 42 and the groove or slot 44. In the 
position illustrated in FIG. 3A, the first connector 26 is positioned 
adjacent the second connector 27 substantially before any force is 
necessary to connect the connectors 26, 27. Typically, in this first 
position the terminals 32 in the first connector 26 have just contacted 
the terminals (not depicted) in the second connector 27. In this view, the 
levers 24 have been pivoted or positioned such that the protrusions 22 are 
in a first position in the mouth ends 46 of the slots or grooves 44. In 
FIG. 3A, the inject and eject cam lever assemblies 20 are in position to 
begin facilitating insertion of the second connector 27 which is 
illustrated as a female connector or receptacle into the first connector 
26 which is illustrated as a male connector, header or shroud assembly. 
The male connector 26 is also shown connected to the printed circuit or 
wiring board 12. 
Then the grips 42 are squeezed, for instance, between a thumb and a 
pointing finger, initially generally towards one another and then forcing 
the grips 42 generally away from each other while camming the protrusion 
22 against the inject cam surface 48. FIG. 3B is a schematic side view of 
the connector assembly 10 with the pair of inject and eject cam lever 
assemblies 20 in a second position intermediate the first position 
illustrated in FIG. 3A and the fourth, mated and latched, position 
illustrated in FIG. 3D. FIG. 3C is a schematic side view of the connector 
assembly 10 with the pair of inject and eject cam lever assemblies 20 in a 
third, mated and unlatched, position intermediate the second position 
illustrated in FIG. 3B and the mated position illustrated in FIG. 3D. In 
FIG. 3C, the protrusion is located on or just to the left of, but has not 
quite passed over, the small step, ridge, dimple, detent or groove 49 in 
the inject camming surface 48. FIG. 3D is a schematic side view of the 
connector assembly 10 with the pair of inject and eject cam lever 
assemblies 20 in the fourth or mated position in accordance with the 
present invention. In the mated position of this embodiment, the parallel 
portions 54, 58 of the grip 42 are oriented parallel to the insertion or 
ejection direction of the connectors 26, 27. This orientation of the 
parallel portions 54, 58 indicates that the connectors 26, 27 are locked 
or latched together. 
FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate the ejection process. FIG. 4A is a schematic side 
view of the connector assembly 10 of FIG. 3A with the pair of inject and 
eject cam lever assemblies 20 in a fifth position in accordance with the 
present invention. To eject the second connector 27 from the first 
connector 26, the grips 42 are squeezed initially generally towards one 
another. This moves the protrusion 22 from contacting the inject cam 
surface 48 side of the mated end 52 as depicted in FIG. 3D to contacting 
the eject cam surface 50 side of the mated end 52 as depicted in FIG. 4A. 
Then the grips 42 are forced generally towards one another camming the 
protrusion 22 against the eject cam surface 50 until the connectors 26, 27 
are in a sixth, mated and unlatched, position illustrated in FIG. 4B. The 
grips 42 are forced generally towards one another camming the protrusion 
22 against the eject cam surface 50 until the point where the levers 24 
pass one another as illustrated in a seventh position in FIG. 4C. The 
seventh position can be where the terminals within the connectors 26, 27 
become unmated. Then the grips are forced generally away from each other 
while still camming the protrusion 22 against the eject cam surface 50 
until the connectors are in an eighth or unmated position as illustrated 
in FIG. 4D. 
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of an connector assembly 100 with a second 
embodiment of a pair of inject and eject cam lever assemblies 120 in their 
unmated position in accordance with the present invention. In this 
embodiment, the protrusions 122 are on the second housing 131 and the 
levers 124 are pivotably mounted on the first housing 130. Here, the 
groove or slot 144 is positioned between the pivot 136 and the grip 142. 
To insert the second housing 131 into the first housing 130, the grips 142 
are squeezed initially generally towards one another. Then the grips 142 
are forced generally away from each other while camming the protrusions 
122 against the inject cam surfaces 148 until the protrusions 122 are in 
the latched position. Then to eject the second housing 131 from the second 
housing 132, the grips 142 are squeezed initially generally towards one 
another. Then the grips 142 are forced generally away from each other 
while camming the protrusions 122 against the eject cam surfaces 150 until 
the protrusions 122 are in the mouth end 146 of the groove 144. The inject 
cam surfaces 48 preferably include a small step, ridge, dimple, detent or 
groove 149, similar to element 49 in the first embodiment. 
Referring again to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a printed circuit board 
(PCB) assembly 70. The PCB assembly comprises a printed circuit board 12 
with a plurality of male pins 32 secured by an interference fit or 
soldering in plated through holes (not depicted) through the board 12. As 
is well known in the art, conductive paths (not depicted) may exist on the 
sides of the board 12 to and from ring shaped conductive pads around the 
holes and electrically connected to conductive material in the holes. The 
PCB assembly 70 further comprises a plurality of male housings, shells or 
shrouds 30 positioned around sets of the pins 32. The male housings, 
shells or shrouds 30 may have feet 72 for securing to the printed circuit 
board 12, such as, by rails 74. Each male housing, shell or shroud 30 
combined with a set of the pins 32 can be referred to as a first connector 
26. The PCB assembly 70 further comprises a plurality of receptacles or 
second connectors 27. Each of the receptacles 27 comprises a housing or 
shell 31 holding a plurality of female terminals (not depicted). The 
receptacles 27 illustrated in FIG. 1 are attached to ends of multiple 
conductor cables 28. 
Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of the 
present invention as hereinabove set forth, can effect numerous 
modifications thereto. These modifications are to be construed as being 
encompassed within the scope of the present invention as set forth in the 
appended claims.