Connector with coupling assist mechanism

Abstract: A connector (2) has a camming slide (26) slidably mounted on a connector housing (4). The camming slide has a lever arm (50) with pinion (48) engaging a toothed rack (58) provided on the housing (4). Particularly low forces are required by an operator for mating connectors.

Description: This invention relates to a connector with a mechanism for assisting coupling with a complementary connector, in particular to reduce the forces required for coupling connectors. A connector with coupling assist mechanism is described in European patent 273999. In this patent, a connector is disclosed comprising a slide provided with camming grooves, the slide transversely slideable with respect to a direction of mating of the connectors and provided with teeth engaging a pinion. The pinion is provided with an actuating lever pivotally mounted on a housing of the connector. When the lever is rotated, the camming slides are moved from a first position adapted to receive complementary studs of a complementary connector, to a second position where the connectors are fully coupled, The force required by an operator to couple the connectors is thus substantially reduced by the joint effect of the camming slots and the pinion lever arm. Although mating forces are significantly reduced, the connector requires many parts that increases the complexity thereof and which may adversely affect reliability. A further problem is the increase in volume resulting from the aforementioned design, due to the additional connector length required for movement to the fully coupled state of the camming slide. It is an object of this invention to provide a connector having a coupling assist mechanism that reduces forces required for mating, but that is reliable, compact and cost effective. Objects of this invention have been achieved by providing the connector according to claim 1. Disclosed herein is a connector comprising a housing receiving terminals therein, and a coupling assist assembly comprising a pivotally mounted actuating member and a camming slide mounted to the housing and slideably movable with respect to the housing from a first or open position to a second or closed position for receiving and displacing a complementary connector into fully mated engagement with the connector, the sliding movement of the camming slide being transverse to the mating direction of the connector, the camming slide provided with camming slots or studs engageable with complementary camming studs or slots of the complementary connector for coupling the connectors together during actuation of the slide, wherein the slide actuation member is rotatably mounted on the camming slide. The connector housing may comprise a toothed rack engaged by a pinion of the slide actuation member. The slide actuation member may be provided with a lever arm and finger grip for pivot actuation thereof. The slide may comprise a pair of spaced apart side walls on which the camming sluts or studs are provided, for assembly either side of the connector housing. The pair of side walls may be integrally connected together in a single moulding. The integral connection of the side walls may be provided by a cover portion for positioning over a wire receiving face of the connector housing thereby protecting and guiding wires connected to the terminals in the housing. A particularly compact and reliable connector is thus provided with advantageously few parts whilst enabling a large reduction in force required by an operator. Further advantageous aspects of the invention are set forth in the claims, or will be apparent from the following description and drawings. An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the figures in which; figure 1 is an isometric view of a connector according to this invention in a disassembled state where the camming slide is removed from the housing; figure 2 is a view similar to figure 1 with the connector in a pre-assembled state and about to be coupled with a complementary connector; figure 3 is a view similar to figure 2 where the connector is an initial position receiving the complementary connector; figure 4 is a view similar to figure 3 where the connectors are fully coupled; figure 5 is a side view of the connector; and figure 6 is a cross-sectional view through line 6-6 of figure 6. Referring to the figures, a connector 2 comprises a housing 4 having cavities 6 for receiving terminals (not shown) of the connector, and a coupling assist mechanism 8 mountable to the housing 4. The housing 4 is for example made from injection moulded plastic and extends from a connection end 10 where terminals of the connector are received in the cavities 6, to a mating end 12 directed towards a complementary connector 14 for mating with the connector 2 in a mating direction (M). The terminals mounted in the cavities 6 may for example be connected to conducting wires that extend out of the wire receiving face or connection end 10 of the housing. The housing 4 may comprise one or more terminal receiving sections 16, 16' for coupling to complementary connector sections 18, 18' respectively of the complementary connector 14. The sections 16, 16' may individually latch or seal with respect to the complementary sections 18, 18'. In this embodiment, the terminal sections 16, 16' are integrally formed in the housing 4, but it is also possible to provide the sections 16, 16' in separate parts assembled together. The housing 4 further comprises a guide 20 cooperable with a complementary guide 22 of the coupling assist mechanism 8 for slidably guiding the coupling mechanism 8 with respect to the housing 4 in a direction (T) transverse to the mating direction (M). In this embodiment, the guides 20, 22 are linear and extend orthogonally with respect to the mating direction (M) such that the coupling assist mechanism 8 moves in a linear sliding movement with respect to the housing 4, substantially orthogonally to the mating direction (M). It is however also conceivable to arrange the guides 20, 22 at an oblique angle (i.e. not orthogonal to the mating direction (M)), or it is also possible to provide the guides 20, 22 with an arcuate (i.e. non linear) shape such that the coupling assist mechanism 8 performs not only a transverse sliding movement relative to the housing 4, but also a partial rotation relative to the housing 4. The housing guides 20 are in the form of substantially L-shaped profiles as best seen in figure 6 extending prismatically along sides 24 of the housing 4, although the guide could also be interrupted along its length. The housing guides 20 are formed integrally with the housing 4. The guides 20 may be provided with other shapes or profiles, for example a T-shaped profile or dovetail profile or merely a rectangular, square or curved profile slideably receivable in a complementarily shaped guide 22 of the coupling assist member 8. The coupling assist mechanism 8 comprises a camming slide 26 and a camming slide actuation member 28 rotatably mounted on the camming slide 26. The camming slide 26 comprises camming members 30 in the form of slots having an entry portion 32 at a mating end 34 of the slide, and an oblique portion 36 with respect to the mating direction (M). The slot 30 is for receiving complementary studs 38 of the complementary connector 14. It is also possible to provide the studs on the camming slide 26 and complementary slots on the complementary connector 14. Camming members 30 are provided on a side wall 40, whereby a pair of side walls 40 are provided in a substantially parallel and spaced apart relationship for arrangement adjacent opposed sides 24 of the housing 4. It is however also conceivable to provide only one wall 40 with one or more camming members 30. In the present embodiment, both walls 40 are provided with camming members 30. The pair of side walls 40 are attached together by a bridging section 44, which in this embodiment forms a cover extending substantially over the whole wire receiving face 10 of the housing 4. The cover 44 thus serves to cover and protect conductors mounted in the housing 4, such as wires connected to the terminals and extending out of the terminal receiving face 10. The side walls 40 and cover 44 may advantageously be integrally moulded in a single part. The cam slide actuation member 28 comprises a pivot bearing 46 and pinion 48 at one end thereof, and extending therefrom a lever arm 50 to a grip 52 for actuation by an operator. The bearing 46 co-operates with a complementary bearing in the form of a substantially cylindrical stud 52 projecting from sides of the camming slide 26. The pinion 48 comprises teeth 53 for engagement in complementary teeth 55 of a rack 58 mounted on the housing 4. The rack 58 is in this embodiment integrally moulded with the housing 4 and forms an extension of the guide 20. It is however also possible to provide the rack 58 separately from the guide 20. The rack 58 is a part of the coupling assist mechanism 8 mounted on the housing 4. Referring to figures 2-6, the camming slide 26 is mounted in a pre-assembly position to the housing 4 whereby the housing guides 20 are slidably inserted in the complementary guides 22. In the pre-assembly position, the slide 26 is not fully inserted over the housing 4 as best seen in figure 2. Retention features such as latches (not shown) may be provided for co-operation between the housing 4 and slide 26 in order to secure the slide in the pre-assembly position, thereby preventing release form the housing 4. In the pre-assembly position as shown in figure 2, the teeth 53 of the pinion 48 engage in a first position teeth 55 of the rack 58. During initial coupling of the connector to the complementary connector, the camming studs 38 are received in the entry portions 32 of the camming slots 30 as shown in figure 4. Rotation of the pinion 48 by actuating the lever arm 50 slides the camming slide 26 relative to the housing 4 in the transverse direction (T). The pivot supports 52, 46 and actuation member 28 are translated in the transverse direction (T) with the camming slide 26. Movement of the slide 26 also moves the cover 44 into a closed position over the terminal receiving face 10. An operator actuating the grip 52 thus only need to provide a small force to couple the connectors, whilst relatively few and easy to assemble parts form the connector 2. In addition the wire receiving force is well protected.

Claims: A connector (2) comprising a housing (4) receiving terminals therein, and a coupling assist assembly (8, 58) comprising a pivotally mounted slide actuation member (28) and a camming slide (26) the slide slideably movable with respect to the housing from a first position for receiving a complementary connector (14), to a second position in fully mated engagement, the sliding movement of the camming slide transverse (T) to the mating direction (M) of the connector, the camming slide provided with camming slots (30) or studs engageable with complementary camming studs (38) or slots of the complementary connector (14) for coupling the connectors together during actuation of the slide, characterised in that the slide actuation member (28) is pivotally mounted on the camming slide (26). The connector of claim 1 wherein the camming slide (26) include a cover (44) for arrangement over a wire receiving face (10) of the connector housing (4). The connector of any one of the preceding claims wherein the coupling assist assembly (8, 58) comprises a pinion (48) on the slide actuation member (28) engageable with rack (58) fixed to the housing (4). The connector of the preceding claim wherein the rack (58) is integrally moulded with the housing (4). The connector of any one of the two preceding claims wherein the rack (58) is substantially an extension of a guide (20) that engages in a complementary guide (22) of the camming slide (26) for guiding the camming slide (26) relative to the housing (4) in the transverse sliding direction (T). The connector of any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing (4) comprises a guide (20) extending along a side wall (24) in the transverse direction (T), the guide (20) receivable in a complementary guide (22) of the camming slide (26), the guide (20) integrally formed with the housing (4). The connector of any one of the preceding claims wherein a pair of camming slides (26) are provided in a substantially parallel and spaced apart relationship for assembly adjacent opposed sides (24) of the connector housing (4). The connector of the preceding claim wherein a cover (44) for covering a wire receiving face (10) of the connector integrally interconnects and holds together the pair of the camming slides (26). The connector of any one of the preceding claims wherein the slide actuation member (28) comprises a lever arm (50) having a bearing (46) receiving a substantially cylindrical stud bearing (52) extending from the camming slide (26).

Inventors: JODON DE VILLEROCHE FRANCOIS, JODON DE VILLEROCHE, FRANCOIS, Jodon de Villeroche, François
Applicants: WHITAKER CORP, THE WHITAKER CORPORATION
Application year: 1999
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13