Latch/eject pin header

A latch/eject pin header is disclosed which provides both positive locking of a connector in a header and positive ejection of the connector upon disconnect. The subject header includes an elongated housing defining an elongated cavity therein with a plurality of pin terminals fixed in the base of the cavity and latching members pivotally mounted at the ends of the cavity. Each latching member includes a latching arm for engaging the mating connector, an eject arm for levering the connector from the cavity, and an actuating arm to effect pivotal movement of the latching member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. The Field Of The Invention 
The present invention relates to a latch/eject pin header and in particular 
to a pin header which needs only one hand to effect either latching of a 
connector into the header or ejection of the connector from the header. 
2. The Prior Art 
It is well known in the electrical connector industry to provide pin 
headers to act as shrouds protecting an array of pin terminals as well as 
to provide polarization for a mating connector. It is also known to 
provide latching means on such pin headers to secure the connector in the 
header in a mated condition. However, some of these latched arrangements 
are quite inconvenient when it is desired to unmate the connector. Since 
most of the connectors are held in the pin header by frictional engagement 
between the female contacts carried by the connector and the male pins in 
the header, there is sometimes substantial force which must be overcome 
during the unmating operation. In such instances it is often desirable to 
have a means for helping eject the connector from the header. 
An example of one such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,081 in which 
a pair of coupling members are rotatably mounted so that latches on a 
first end of the members can secure the connector in position while 
lifting fingers on the opposite end of the members can be used to eject 
the connector from the header. However, the operation of these members is 
such that it is necessary to employ a two-handed operation, especially 
when ejecting the connector from the header. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention overcomes the difficulties of the prior art by 
producing a latch/eject pin header which can be operated by one hand in 
both the latching and ejecting modes. The subject latch/eject pin header 
includes an elongated housing defining an elongated connector receiving 
cavity having a plurality of pin terminals fixedly engaged therein. At 
each end of the connector there is a pivotally mounted lever having a 
latch arm on one portion thereof, an integral eject arm on a second 
portion thereof, and an actuating arm. The pivot point of the lever is so 
located that, when a mating connector is inserted into the header, it 
engages the eject arms causing the latching arms to be rotated into a 
latching condition engaging the connector. The actuating arms are squeezed 
together to cause a reverse rotational action which releases the latching 
arms while simultaneously pushing the eject arms against the mating face 
of the connector to force it out of the cavity of the header. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce an improved 
latch/eject pin header which can be operated by one hand. 
It is another object of the present invention to produce an improved 
latch/eject pin header having a lever action about a fulcrum which creates 
a mechanical advantage for unmating an associated connector. 
It is another object of the present invention to produce a latch/eject pin 
header which will both effectively latch a mating connector into the 
header and will assist in the removal of the connector during ummating. 
It is still another object of the present invention to produce a 
latch/eject pin header which will uniformly unmate an associated connector 
thereby precluding damage to the pin terminals. 
It is a further object of the present invention to produce a latch/eject 
pin header which can be readily and economically produced. 
The means for accomplishing the foregoing objects and other advantages of 
the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art 
from the following detailed description taken with reference to the 
accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The subject latch/eject pin header 10 includes an elongated housing 12 
defining an elongated cavity 14 therein. The base 16 of the cavity has a 
plurality of apertures 18 in which a like plurality of terminal pins 20 
are fixed. The cavity may also be profiled with polarizing and/or keying 
projections 22. At each end of the housing 12 there is a lever recess 24 
including a passage 26 leading to the cavity 14. A lever member 28 is 
pivotally mounted in each recess 24 by a pivot pin 30. Each lever member 
28 includes a latching arm 32 having an inwardly directed shoulder 34 on a 
free end thereof, an eject lever 36 extending through the passage 26, and 
an actuation arm 38 extending opposite the ejection lever 36. Both the 
eject lever 36 and the actuation arm 38 lie on one side of the pivot pin 
30 opposite the latching arm 32. The housing 12 can also include mounting 
recesses or apertures 40 at the opposite ends thereof. 
The subject latch/eject pin header mates with a connector 42 which is of 
well known design, for example, the connectors shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
3,663,922; 3,699,502 or 3,707,696. 
The latching arms 32 are positioned as shown in FIG. 1 to receive the 
connector 42. This positioning can be readily achieved by depressing the 
action arms 38 by pressing them together. The connector 42 is then 
inserted into the header 10 with mating face 44 engaging the eject arms 36 
and causing the rotation of the lever member 28 about their pivot pins 30 
until the latching arm shoulders 34 engage the back surface 46 of the 
connector 42. This is the position shown in FIG. 2 with mating face 44 of 
connector 42 engaging the base 16 of cavity 14. The connector is thus 
fully engaged and held in the housing. When it is desired to remove the 
connector from the header, it is only necessary to depress the actuating 
arms 38 by squeezing them together causing a rotation of the lever members 
28 about their pivot pins 30 and the shoulders 34 to be freed from 
engagement with the back surface 46 of the connector 42. Continued 
rotation of the lever members 28 causes the eject arms 36 to come into 
engagement with the mating face 44 of the connector 42 to push it upwardly 
off of the terminal pins 20. 
An alternate embodiment of the subject latch/eject header is shown in FIG. 
4 with one piece lever member 28 of the preferred embodiment being 
replaced by a two piece actuation assembly 48 including a latching arm 50 
having an inwardly directed shoulder 52 on one free end thereof, a pivot 
pin 54 intermediate the ends, and a recess 56 in the opposite free end of 
the latching arm 50. An actuating member 58 has a pin 60 mounted thereon 
engaging in the recess 56 of the latching arm 50 and has a cam surface 62 
on the free end thereof. The actuation of this member is substantially the 
same as the preferred embodiment. Inward movement of the actuating members 
58, by squeezing towards the housing, will cause the rotation of the 
latching arm 50 about pivot pin 54 until the shoulder 52 clears the back 
46 of the connector 42 and the cam surface 62 engages an end portion of 
the mating face 44 of the connector to cam it out of mating engagement 
with the terminal pins of the header. Likewise insertion of the connector 
into the header will cause an outward movement of the actuation arms 58 
and a latching rotation of the latching arms 50. 
The present invention may be subject to many modifications and changes 
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. 
The present embodiment should therefore be considered in all respects as 
illustrative and not restrictive of the invention.