Patent Publication Number: US-6213795-B1

Title: Two-part electrical connector

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a two-part electrical connector in which a lever is used for mating and unmating of the two parts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A two-part electrical connector with a lever for mating and unmating of the two parts is disclosed in EP-A-0722203. The lever is substantially U-shaped and is pivotally mounted on the housing of one part of the connector. A pair of sliders are also mounted on the same housing and slide on pivoting of the lever. The sliders have cam surfaces which engage corresponding cam followers on the housing of the other part of the connector. Pivoting of the lever causes the sliders to slide to mate or unmate the two parts of the connector. The pivot connection between the lever and the housing of the one part of the connector requires an arcuate slot in each arm of the lever. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a two-part electrical connector which is an improvement of the above mentioned arrangement. 
     An electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a first part mateable with a second part along an axis, the first part including a housing having opposed side walls and opposed end walls, each side wall having an upper wall and a lower wall defining opposed slide surfaces extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mating axis, first and second spaced apertures in each side wall, a pair of spaced apertures in the lower wall of each side wall, and an upward extension from the upper wall of each side wall; a slider positioned adjacent each side wall, each slider having an upper edge and a lower edge making a sliding engagement with the slide surfaces of the upper wall and the lower wall, respectively, of the side walls, a pair of inclined cam surfaces having openings in the lower edge alignable with the apertures in the lower wall of the side walls, and a resilient tab for making a snap fit in the first aperture or the second aperture in the side wall; a substantially U-shaped lever having a pair of arms; pivot means on each arm and each upward extension of each side wall to allow the lever to pivot relative to the housing of the first part; and drive means on each arm and each slider to slide each slider relative to the adjacent side wall on pivoting of the lever relative to the housing of the first part; the second part including a housing having side walls and end walls positionable inside the side walls and end walls of the housing of the first part, each side wall of the housing of the second part having a pair of spaced cam followers which can pass through the apertures in the lower walls and the openings in the inclined cam surfaces for sliding movement along the cam surfaces; pivoting movement of the lever moving the second part relative to the first part along the mating axis between a fully unmated position in which the tabs on each slider make a snap fit in the first aperture in the side walls and a fully mated position in which the tabs on each slider make a snap fit in the second aperture in the side walls. 
     Relative to the above mentioned prior known arrangement, the sliders are protected by the side walls, means are provided for holding the sliders in the fully mated and fully unmated positions, and there is no requirement for an arcuate slot in each arm of the lever. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a two-part electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connector of FIG. 1 with the lever in the fully mated position; 
     FIG. 3 is a similar view to that of FIG. 2 of the first part of the connector with the lever in the fully unmated position and the cover omitted; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of the first part of the connector of FIG. 1 with the lever in the fully unmated position and the cover omitted; 
     FIG. 5 is a similar view to that of FIG. 4 with the lever in an intermediate position; and 
     FIG. 6 is a similar view to that of FIG. 4 with the lever in fully mated position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the two-part electrical connector  10  in accordance with the present invention comprises a first part  12  and a second part  14 . Each part  12 , 14  is capable of receiving an retaining electrical contacts or terminals (not shown). On mating of the first and second parts  12 , 14 , the contacts in the first part mate with, and complete an electrical connection with, the corresponding contacts in the second part. Any suitable type of contacts may be used. The first part  12  mates (mechanically and electrically connects) or unmates (mechanically and electrically disconnects) with the second part  14  by moving the parts relative to one another in an axial direction X. 
     The first part  12  of the connector  10  comprises a housing  16  of electrically insulating material, which is preferably plastics material, and which is preferably moulded in one piece. The housing  16  comprises first and second side walls  18 , 20  and end walls  22 . Each side wall  18 , 20  has an upper wall  24  and a lower wall  26 . The upper wall  24  and the lower wall  26  of each side wall  18 , 20  define, internally of the housing  16 , slide surfaces  28  for a slider  30 , 31 , respectively, positioned adjacent the side wall  18 ,  20 . Each slide surface  28  extends in a direction Y which is substantially perpendicular to the mating axis X. Each slider  30 , 31  (which is preferably moulded in one piece from plastics material) is inserted into the housing  16  by way of slots  32  formed between the side walls  18 , 20  and the end walls  22 . First and second spaced apertures  34 , 36  are formed in each side wall  18 , 20  and spaced apart in the direction Y. A pair of spaced apertures  38  are formed in the lower wall  26  of each side wall  18 , 20  and are spaced apart in the direction Y shown in FIG.  4 . The upper wall  24  of each side wall  18 , 20  has latch means  40  on its outer surface which makes a snap fit with corresponding latch means  42  on a cover  44  of the first part  12  of the connector  10 . 
     Each slider  30 , 31  has a pair of inclined channels  46  formed therein which open at an opening  48  through a lower edge  50  of the slider. The channels  46  are open sided and formed on the internal surface  51  of each slider  30 , 31 . The openings  48  in each slider  30 , 31  have the same spacing as the apertures  38  in the lower wall  26  of the corresponding side wall  18 , 20 , such that the openings  48  can align with the apertures  38 . The channels  46  in each slider  30 , 31  are inclined in the same direction at the same angle and open inwardly towards the other slider. The channels  46  in each slider  30 , 31  are inclined in the same direction. A tab  52  is formed in the exterior surface  54  of each slider  30 , 31  either on a resiliently flexible beam  56 , as shown, or on a resilient arm (not shown). Each tab  52  is capable of making a snap fit in the first aperture  34  or the second aperture  36  in the corresponding side wall  18 , 20 . An upper edge  55  and the lower edge  50  of each slider  30 , 31  makes a sliding fit with the slide surface  28  of the upper wall  24  and the lower wall  26  of the corresponding side wall  18 , 20 . Each slider  30 , 31  preferably has, in its external surface  54  a slot  86  which extends in the direction Y and which has a shoulder  88  at one end and is open at the other end  90 . Each side wall  18 , 20  of the housing  16  has a tab  92 , shown in FIG. 4, on its inner surface which can make a sliding fit in the slot  86  of the corresponding slider  30 , 31 . 
     The connector  10  further comprises a substantially U-shaped lever  58 . Each arm  60  of the lever  58  has a pivot pin  62  defining the centre of an arc-shaped portion  64  at the free end of each arm. The arc-shaped portion  64  has first and second pins  66 , 68  which are substantially equally radially spaced from the pivot pin  62 . The upper wall  24  of each side wall  18 , 20  has an upward extension  70  (substantially centrally positioned in the direction Y) with a pivot aperture  72  formed therein which receives one of the pivot pins  62  with a snap fit. With this arrangement the lever  58  can pivot relative to the housing  16  about the pivot apertures  72  between an unmated position (FIG. 4) and a mated position (FIG.  6 ). In the unmated position of the lever  58 , the first pin  66  of each arm  60  is positioned in a first channel  74  formed in internal surface  51  of the corresponding slider  30 , 31 . The first channel  74  of each slider  30 , 31  is open sided and arc-shaped, and has a closed end  76  and an open end  78  which opens through the upper edge  55  of the slider  30 ,  31 , shown in FIG.  5 . In the mated position of the lever  58 , the second pin  68  of each arm  60  is positioned in a second channel  80  formed as a slot in the internal and external surfaces  51 , 54  of the corresponding slider  30 , 31 . The second channel  80  of each slider  30 , 31  is open sided, extends substantially in the direction of the mating axis X, has a first side edge  82  adjacent the closed end  76  of the first channel  74  and a second opposed side edge  83 , and has an open end  84  which opens through the upper edge  55  of the slider  30 ,  31 . As the lever  58  pivots relative to the housing  16  from the unmated position to the mated position, the first pin  66  on each arm  60  slides in its respective first channel  74  from the closed end  76  and leaves the first channel through the open end  78 , and the second pin  68  enters the second channel  80  through the open end  84 , slides in the second channel, and engages the first side edge  82 . As the lever  58  pivots relative to the housing  16  from the mated position to the unmated position, the second pin  68  on each arm  60  slides in its respective second channel  80 , engages the second side edge  83 , and leaves the second channel through the open end  84 , and the first pin  66  enters the first channel  74  through the open end  78 , slides in the first channel, and engages the closed end  76 . With this arrangement, the lever  58  drives (moves) the sliders  30 , 31  in the direction Y relative to the side walls  18 , 20 . For all positions of the lever  58  between the unmated position and the mated position, at least one of the pins  66 , 68  is positioned in its respective channel  74 , 80 , and for some positions of the lever, both pins are positioned in their respective channels, as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     The cover  44  preferably includes a resilient latch tab  94  formed in each side wall  96  which makes a releasable snap fit with a corresponding shoulder  98  in each arm  60  of the lever  58  when the first and second parts  12 , 14  are fully mated (as shown in FIG.  2 ). Further, each arm  60  of the lever  58  preferably includes a resilient latch tab  100  which makes a releasable snap fit with a shoulder  102  formed in an upwardly extending wall  104  of the upper wall  24  of each side wall  18 , 20  when the lever is in the unmated position. 
     The second part  14  of the connector  10  has a housing  106  having side walls  108  and end walls  110 . A pair of pins  112  is formed externally on each side wall  108 . The pins  112  on each side wall  108  have the same spacing at the apertures  38  (shown in FIG. 4) in the lower wall  26  of the corresponding side wall  18 , 20  of the housing  16  of the first part  12 . The side walls  108  and end walls  110  of the housing  106  of the second part  14  fit inside the side walls  18 , 20  and end walls  22  of the housing  16  of the first part  12 . During mating and unmating, the pins  112  pass through the apertures  38  and slide along the inclined channels  46  formed in the sliders  30 , 31  in such a manner that the pins function as cam followers and the channels function as cam surfaces. The apertures  38  in first side wall  18  and the corresponding pins  84  preferably have a different spacing from the apertures  38  in the second side wall  20  and the corresponding pair of pins  112  for correct alignment and mating of the first and second parts  12 , 14 . 
     Prior to mating, the lever  58  is moved to the unmated position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this position of the lever  58 , the tabs  52  on the sliders  30 , 31  make a snap fit in the first apertures  34  in the side walls  18 , 20  to substantially retain the sliders and the lever in this position and ensure alignment of the openings  48  in the inclined channels  46  with the apertures  38  in the lower walls  26  of the side walls. To further ensure the retention of the lever  58  in the unmated position, the tabs  100  on the lever makes a snap fit with the shoulders  102  on the upwardly extending wall  104  of the housing  16 . The second part  14  of the connector  10  is then moved into position for mating, with the pins  112  on the housing  106  of the second part passing through the apertures  38  in the lower wall  26  of each side wall  18 , 20  of the housing  16  of the first part  12  and into the inclined channels  46  in the sliders  30 , 31 . To mate the first and second parts  12 , 14 , the lever  58  is pivoted relative to the housing  16  of the first part towards the fully mated position shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. During this pivoting movement of the lever  58 , the tabs  100  on the lever are released from the shoulders  102 , the tabs  52  on the sliders  30 , 31  are released from the first apertures  34  in the side walls  18 , 20 , and the pins  112  on the housing  106  of the second part  14  are forced along the inclined channels  46  as the sliders  30 , 31  slide relative to the side walls  18 , 20  (along axis Y) of the housing  16  of the first part  12 . This action moves the second part  14  in the direction of the mating axis X relative to the first part  12  to mate the first and second parts. When the first and second parts  12 , 14  become fully mated, the tabs  52  on the sliders  30 , 31  makes a snap fit in the second apertures  36  in the side walls  18 , 20  of the housing  16  of the first part  12  to substantially retain the first and second parts in the fully mated position. To further ensure the retention of the fully mated position of the first and second parts  12 , 14 , the lever  58  then makes a snap fit with the latch tabs  94  on the cover  44 . To unmate the first and second parts  12 , 14 , the lever  58  is released from the latch tabs  94  and pivoted from the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 for reverse movement to that described above for mating of the first and second parts. 
     The slots  86  in the sliders  30 , 31  and the tabs  92  (shown in FIG. 4) in the side walls  18 , 20  ensure correct installation of the sliders in the housing  16  of the first part  12 , and provide additional guidance for the sliders during movement of the sliders relative to the housing  16  of the first part  12 . The shoulders  88  in the slots  86  act as a stop member which engages the tab  92  to prevent the sliders unintentionally leaving the housing  16 . After installation of the sliders  30 , 31  in the housing  16  of the first part  12 , the arms  60  of the lever  58  are attached to the housing  16  by making a snap fit between the pivot pins  62  and the pivot apertures  72 , and the drive means between the lever and the sliders. 
     The pivot means of an aperture  72  and pin  62  may be reversed with the apertures in the arms  60  of the lever  58  and the pins on the upward extensions  70  of the side wall  18 , 20 . 
     As well as the advantages mentioned above with respect to the prior art, the attachment of the lever  58  to an upward extension  70  of the side walls  18 , 20  allows a reduction in the overall size of the connector  10 . Also, the use of a pair of pins  66 , 68  on each arm  60  of the lever  58 , and corresponding channels  74 , 80  in each slider  30 , 31  for the drive means provides improved control during sliding movement, and the option of a longer slide distance.