Abstract:
An electrical connector assembly is disclosed having a main housing portion, camming slide mounting in camming slide receiving guides of the main housing portion, a wire guide and a lever. The lever is operably coupled to the camming slides to translate the camming slides upon rotation of the lever. The lever is mounted to the wire guide, and the combination of the wire guide and the lever are reversible to reverse the orientation of the wires in the wire dress.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject disclosure relates generally to an electrical connector assembly having an actuation system to effect mating engagement of two connector halves. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Connector arrangements may have a plug housing, a socket housing, and an actuation means for moving one of the housings into engagement with the other housing such that receptacle contacts of the socket housing are electrically connected to pluggable contacts of the plug housing. These types of plug connector arrangements are primarily used in applications having high pin counts and low engagement force is needed. 
     In order to save space, the moveable housing is formed so that only a small portion of the moveable housing projects from the fixed housing when the housings are engaged. This configuration causes the disengagement of the moveable housing from the fixed housing to be difficult. A problem also exists in that the plug connector arrangement has a large number of contact elements that exert a high normal contact force such that considerable force is required to plug-in and release the moveable housing from the fixed housing. 
     In order to resolve these problems, plug connector arrangements have been provided with actuation systems including camming slides. The actuation slides are arranged on the movable housing and are displaceable in a direction transverse to a direction of engagement. For example, the camming slides may be provided with camming slots that engage with cam projections on the fixed housing. Movement of the movable housing toward the fixed housing can be performed by displacement of the actuation slides transversely with respect to the direction of the movement of the moveable housing toward the fixed housing. In another example, an actuation slide means may be constructed as a toothed rack wherein the displacement of the moveable housing is forced by rotary movement of a pivotal lever with a pinion region engaging in the toothed rack. Examples of such actuation slides are taught by European Patent No. 0 273 999 B1 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,478,251; 5,593,309; 5,618,194 and 5,660,556. The actuation slide may be able to move through a lever as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,090. 
     Normally, these connector assemblies have a wire guide having the lever mounted to it, and the lever, in the fully mated position, is locked to the wire guide. Often times, the location of the fixed housing requires that the wire guide dresses the wires in alternate orientations, requiring two connector assemblies. 
     It is therefore desirable to develop a plug connector arrangement which can be utilized in alternate wire guide orientations, without the requirement for substitution of additional components parts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objects have been accomplished by providing an electrical connector assembly, comprising a main housing portion having a front face, a rear face, and sidewalls therebetween, the sidewalls having camming slide receiving guides. Camming slides are received in the camming slide receiving guides, where the camming slides having first actuation members adjacent the front face, and second actuation members adjacent the rear face. A lever is rotatably mounted relative to the main housing portion and has third actuation members in operative coupling with the second actuation members to translate the slides upon rotation of the lever. The lateral centerline of the center of rotation of the lever and the lateral centerline of the main housing portion are coincident. 
     In another embodiment, an electrical connector assembly, comprising a main housing portion having a front face, a rear face, and sidewalls therebetween, where the sidewalls have camming slide receiving guides. Camming slides are received in the camming slide receiving guides, and the camming slides having first actuation members adjacent the front face, and second actuation members adjacent the rear face. A wire guide is positioned adjacent to the rear face in a first configuration, having a laterally extending wire guiding member for dressing wires of a harness in a first lateral direction. A lever is rotatably mounted to the wire guide and has third actuation members in operative coupling with the second actuation members to translate the slides upon rotation of the lever. The wire guide is reversely mountable to the main housing portion in a second direction, for dressing wires of a harness in a second lateral direction. 
     In yet another embodiment, an electrical connector assembly, comprises a main housing portion having a front face, a rear face, and first and second sidewalls therebetween, where the sidewalls have first and second camming slide receiving guides positioned adjacent to respective first and second sidewalls. Camming slides are received in the camming slide receiving guides, and the camming slides having first actuation members adjacent the front face, and second actuation members adjacent the rear face. An actuator having third actuation members is cooperable with the second actuation members to translate the camming slides. A first camming slide is operable in the first camming slide receiving guide in a first sense, and is operable in the second camming slide receiving guide in a second sense. The second camming slide is operable in the second camming slide receiving guide in a first sense, and is operable in the first camming slide receiving guide in a second sense. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the electrical connector assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the electrical connector assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the electrical connector assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the main housing portion; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the main housing portion; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the main housing portion; 
         FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of one of the camming slides; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the camming slide of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an top perspective view showing the inside of the other of the camming slides; 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom perspective view of the camming slide of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the camming slide of  FIGS. 9 and 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is an top perspective view of the wire guide; 
         FIG. 13  is a bottom perspective view of the wire guide of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is an top perspective view of the wire guide of  FIGS. 12 and 13  taken from an opposite direction; 
         FIGS. 15 and 16  show opposite perspective views of the lever; 
         FIG. 17  shows a top plan view of the electrical connector assembly in a locked condition with the wire guide in a first configuration; 
         FIG. 18  shows a cross-sectional view through lines  18 - 18  of  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 19  shows a cross-sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 18  showing a lever in the fully opened position; and 
         FIG. 20  shows the connector assembly as assembled in the second configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference first to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , electrical connector assembly  2  is shown as comprised of main housing portion  4 , wire guide  6 , lever  8  pivotally mounted to wire guide  6 , and a terminal position assurance member (TPA)  10  ( FIG. 2 ). With reference now to  FIG. 3 , in addition to the components described above, electrical connector assembly  2  further comprises camming slides  12 A,  12 B, which are receivable in the main housing portion  4  and which will cooperate with lever  8  to provide for mating/unmating with a cooperable connector (not shown). 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 4-6 , main housing portion  4  will be described in greater detail. Main housing portion  4  includes front face  20 , rear face  22 , end walls  24  and  26  and first and second sidewalls  28  and  30 , respectively. As best shown in  FIG. 4 , main housing portion  4  includes a plurality of terminal receiving passageways, for example, at  32  and  34  for receipt of a plurality of terminals (not shown) as is known in the art. Passageways  32  and  34  extend through to the front face  20  (through TPA  10 ) as best shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     With respect now to  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  1 , sidewall  28  may be labeled with an indicia, for example, sidewall  28  is labeled with the letter “C” ( FIG. 4 ) whereas sidewall  30  is labeled with indicia “D” ( FIG. 1 ), which may be useful with the assembly of the connector assembly as is described herein. Main housing portion  4  includes a first camming slide receiving guide  40 A which is adjacent to sidewall  28 . Camming slide receiving guide  40 A defines a slot extending behind sidewall  28  and is formed by L-shaped walls such as  42  ( FIG. 4) and 44  ( FIG. 5 ) which define slots  46  ( FIG. 4) and 48  ( FIG. 5 ) therein. A second camming slide receiving guide  40 B has similarly defined L-shaped walls and slots and is positioned adjacent to sidewall  30  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . As should be appreciate from comparing  FIGS. 1 and 4 , camming slide receiving guides  40 A and  40 B extend entirely through main housing portion  4 , that is, between and through end walls  24 ,  26 . As best shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , L-shaped walls  44  define openings  50 ,  52  and  54 , which receive the lugs on the mating connector (not shown) as is known in the art. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , sidewall  28  includes a latch arm  60  having a latching lug  62  ( FIG. 6 ) aligned with opening  52 , the purpose of which will be described herein. With respect again to  FIG. 4 , rear face  22  is provided with access openings  70  for the lever as described herein. Openings  72 A and  72 B are provided for polarization of the wire guide  6  as described herein. Finally, with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the end wall  26  includes hook receiving catches  80 A while end wall  24  includes hook receiving catches  80 B. End wall  26  also includes latch  82 A, while end wall  24  includes latch  82 B. 
     With respect now to  FIGS. 7-10 , first and second camming slides  12 A and  12 B will be described. It should be understood that the camming slide  12 A,  12 B are simply mirror images of each other, and therefore only camming  12 A will be described herein. 
     As shown best in  FIG. 9 , camming slide  12 A includes actuation members in the form of camming slots  100 ,  102  and  104  which will be positioned approximate to openings  50 ,  52 ,  54  as described herein. Camming slide  12 A also includes actuation members  110  in the form of individual rack teeth  112 . Slide  12 A also includes a positioning feature to insure that the camming slide is positioned in the proper orientation relative to the wire guide and includes an upper stop surface  120  and an upper open surface  122 , as described herein. A resilient latch arm  130  ( FIG. 7 ) is defined in the camming slide having a latching lug at  132  ( FIG. 11 ) which is positioned at the mouth of camming slot  104 . Finally, a locking shoulder  134  ( FIG. 10 ) is positioned adjacent to camming slot  102  and cooperates with latching lug  62  ( FIG. 6 ) as described herein. Camming slides  12 A and  12 B may be marked with indicia, for example camming slide  12 B is labeled “B” ( FIG. 7 ), whereas camming slide  12 A is labeled “A” ( FIG. 1 ). 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 12-14 , wire guide  6  will be described in greater detail. As shown, wire guide  6  includes top wall  140 , sidewalls  142 , end wall  144  and neck  146 . Sidewalls  142  include a stub shaft  150  for receipt of lever  8  as described herein. Sidewalls  142  also include a stop surface  152 , stop lugs  154 , and hooks  156 . End wall  144  includes latch  158  and top wall  140  includes latch  160 . It should be appreciated that neck  146  includes a receiving portion  162  which is profiled to receive a plastic tie, which will wrap around a plurality of wires which exit the wire guide through the neck  146 . 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , lever  8  is shown as including lever arms  170  connected by way of handle  172 . Each arm end includes a rotary portion  174  including pinion teeth  176 . A teardrop-shaped opening  178  is positioned at a central location of the rotary portion of  174  to be received over stub shaft  150  as described herein. 
     It should be understood that the features as described above allow for the combination of the wire guide  6  and lever  8  to be positioned in one of two configurations, where the first configuration is shown in  FIG. 1 , where wires would be dressed in the first lateral direction over end wall  26 , and a second configuration where wires would be dressed in the second lateral direction over end wall  24  ( FIG. 20 ). Wire guide  6  is now positioned and held to main housing portion  4  in the first and second configurations by way of retaining assemblies comprised of the hooks  156  ( FIG. 12 ) and hook receiving catches  80 A,  80 B ( FIG. 4 ); and latches  158  ( FIG. 14 ) and corresponding latches  82 A,  82 B ( FIG. 4 ). 
     To assemble the connector assembly into the first configuration, camming slides  12 A and  12 B are positioned in their respective camming slide receiving guides  40 A,  40 B until such time as camming slots  100 ,  102  and  104  ( FIG. 11 ) align with corresponding openings  50 ,  52 ,  54  ( FIG. 5 ). In such a position, locking shoulder  134  ( FIG. 10 ) locks with latching lug  62  ( FIG. 6 ) preventing the camming slides  12 A and  12 B from moving any further inward yet retaining the camming slots  100 ,  102  and  104  aligned with the respective openings  50 ,  52 ,  54 . Also when in such a position, the camming slides  12 A,  12 B have the actuation members in the form of camming slots  100 ,  102  and  104  adjacent the front face  20 , and actuation members  110  adjacent the rear face  22 . 
     Lever  8  may now be positioned over stub shaft  150  and moved to the fully open position, that is, against stop surfaces  152  ( FIG. 14 ). As is known in the art, a plurality of wires of a harness are then terminated to individual contacts and inserted through cavities  32 ,  34 . TPA  10  is then snapped into the fully locked position assuring that the terminals are loaded into their fully locked position. Hooks  156  are inserted into first hook receiving catches  80 A ( FIG. 4 ) and then wire guide  6  is rotated until latch  158  ( FIG. 14 ) snaps beneath latch  82   a  ( FIG. 4 ). It should be appreciated that pinion teeth  176  fit through access opening  70  ( FIG. 20 ) and mesh with, and are operatively coupled with, rack teeth  112  and that, in normal operation, rotation of lever  8  will cause translation of camming slides  12 A,  12 B within respective slots  40 A,  40 B. It should be understood however, that while camming slide  12 A is locked by way of locking shoulder  134  and lug  62 , that the lever  8  is also locked from pivoting. 
     When wire guide  6  is positioned in main housing portion  4  such that stop lugs  154  ( FIG. 12 ) are positioned in openings  72 A ( FIG. 4 ); stop lugs  154  are also shown within openings  72 A in the assembled view in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 19 , upper stop surface  120  on camming slide  12 A is positioned such that it blocks opening  72 B ( FIG. 4 ), such that if a wire guide  6  were attempted to be placed in an opposite and incorrect direction, stop lugs  154  would engage stop surfaces  120  and would prevent such assembly. 
     When the mating connector (not shown) is positioned with the lugs in corresponding openings of the camming slots  100 ,  102  and  104 , a lug in slot  102  releases the latch lug  62  ( FIG. 6 ) and resultantly releases the camming slide for translation. At this time, the lever  8  is also released for pivotal movement, and the lever may be pivoted to draw the connector assemblies into a fully mated position. In the fully mated position; the handle  172  is snap latched into latch  160  of the wire guide  6 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     If it is desired to have the wire guide  6  exiting in the opposite sense, that is, as shown in  FIG. 20 , with the wires dressed in the direction over end wall  24 , then the camming slides  12 A and  12 B are interchangeable within alternate camming guide receiving guides such that camming slide  12 A is positioned in camming slide receiving guide  40 B and camming slide  12 B is positioned in camming slide receiving guide  40 A. Hooks  156  of wire guide  6  are then positioned in hook receiving catches  80 B ( FIG. 4 ) and latch  158  ( FIG. 14 ) latches with latch  82 B ( FIGS. 4 and 20 ). In this position, stop lugs  154  are positioned in openings  72 B while stop surface  120  ( FIG. 19 ) covers opening  72 A. 
     Thus as described above, an electrical connector assembly is shown which allows two configurations for the wire guide and orientation security to prevent incorrect assembly. As the lateral centerline  200  of the center of rotation of the lever  8  is coincident with the lateral centerline  202  of the main housing portion  4 , the wire guide  6  is reversibly mountable to the main housing portion  4 , and therefore flipping the wire guide  6  into the first and second configuration maintains the alignment of all the working components. For ease of assembly the camming slides and sidewalls are marked with indicia, such that in a first configuration, the “A” camming slide is positioned adjacent to the “C” sidewall, and the “B” camming slide is positioned adjacent to the “D” sidewall; whereas in the second configuration the “A” camming slide is positioned adjacent to the “D” sidewall, and the “B” camming slide is positioned adjacent to the “C” sidewall. 
     While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. The application is, therefore, intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.