GB2300767A

GB2300767A - An electrical connector with a cam slider

Info

Publication number: GB2300767A
Application number: GB9609392A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Johnathon Howells
Original assignee: Whitaker LLC
Current assignee: Whitaker LLC
Priority date: 1995-05-09
Filing date: 1996-05-03
Publication date: 1996-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 2016-05-03
Also published as: GB9509381D0; JPH08315913A; GB9609392D0; GB2300767B

Abstract

A connector system has two connector halves which are drawn together and coupled by a slides 114 having cam tracks 134 sliding on follower pins 146. Additional followers 150 ride in tracks 156 (figure 3, not shown) when the connector halves are coupled by translation of the slides, for example, upon pivoting a stirrup lever (not shown). The additional followers 150 fouls translation of the cam 134 and follower 146 mechanisms when the connector halves have not been pre-engaged sufficiently to allow the followers 146 to enter the cams 134. Incorrect coupling is thereby indicated.

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR This invention relates to electrical connectors and in particular those having a camming slide used to draw mating connector halves together.

In industry, there is a trend towards incorporating more and more electrical connections into a single connector housing. A problem that has arisen is that when the number of inter-connections is large, the mating force necessary to assemble a pair of connector halves becomes significant.

This is due to the insertion force requirements of the mating contacts, the need to overcome friction produced by any gasketing or seals within the connector housing, and simply the size of the connectors themselves. one solution to this problem is to incorporate inter-electrical connector apparatus to provide the assembler with mechanical advantage in order to draw the two connector halves together.A particularly popular structure involves the use of a camming slide that moves transversely to the mating direction of the connector halves and includes either camming slots or lugs that co-operate with a corresponding feature on the mating connector half where the camming slots are angularly oriented with respect to the transverse direction in which the slide is moved such that when the lugs are received therein, the transverse movement of the slide produces a mating displacement of the connector halves.

One particular example of a connector of this type is shown generally in Figure 1 labelled Prior Art. The connector is shown generally at 2 and comprises a first connector half 6 and a second connector half 8. The connector halves 6,8 would contain complementary pin and receptacle contacts terminated to the end of insulated wire (not shown). The first connector half includes a U shaped lever 10, a main body 12 and a pair of slide members 14. The main body 12 includes a terminal block portion 16 where a plurality of openings extend therethrough for receiving the electrical contacts. The housing 12 further includes a saddle 20 wherein the insulated wires are ceded such that in co-operation with the cover (not shown) strain relief and environmental protection can be provided.Extending outward from the terminal block 16, a post 22 upon which lever 10 will be received as described below for pivoting thereupon.

Toward the mating face 23 of the housing 12 are slide base 24. The slide base 24 receive the slides 14 therein and support them along surface 26 such that movement in the direction of mating is restricted.

The lever 10 which provides the mechanical advantage necessary to actuate the connector system 2 is U-shaped having a pair of legs 28 with receiving openings 30 therein. The lever 10 fits over the main body 12 such that the lever 10 is pivotally captured upon the pivot post 22. Radially outward from the openings 30 are actuating teeth 32 that co-operate in a gear-like manner with the slide 14 as will be described below.

The slide 14 includes a pair of cam tracks 34- set angularly to the direction of movement of the slide 14 within the base 24. The slide 14 further includes at least one tooth 36 to co-operate with the teeth 32 of the lever 10. As the slide 14 is inserted in the bay 24, the teeth of the lever 10 extend into the bay 24 by way of opening 38 to engage the actuator tooth 36 from moving the slide 14 transversely to the mating direction of the electrical connector halves 4,8.

The second connector half 8 includes a housing body 40 wherein the contact (not shown) would be received.

Extending radially outward from the body 40 is a lip 42 wherein a seal may be set such that when the connector halves 6,8 are fully mated, the mating surface 23 of the first connector half 6 would sit upon the seal (not shown) in a contaminant "tight" manner. The body 40 further includes a shroud portion 44 which fits within the first connector half 6. Disposed on the outer surface of the shroud 44 are a pair of lugs 46 designed to be complementary to the camming slide tracks 34 when the first connector half and the second connector half 8 are fully inserted actuation of the lever 10 causes the slide 14 to be displaced. As the lugs 46 are within the tracks 34 transverse displacement of the slides 14 results in the lugs moving along the slides 34 and thereby drawing the two connector halves together.

One problem with electrical connectors of this type is that it is possible due to assembling errors to partially mate the first and second connector halves 6,8 such that the connector halves 6,8 seem to be mated and then actuate the lever 10. However, in a partially mated situation, the lugs 46 would not be within the tracks 34 in this position, actuation of the slides 14 would not draw the connector halves 6,8 together. If the installer is not observant the partially mated connector may be assumed to be fully locked. However, as a result of vibrations within the environment in which the connector assembly is used over time the connector halves 6,8 may become completely disengaged or may have never become fully engaged sufficient to allow an electrical connection to be established.Problems such as these take valuable time to trouble shoot and remedies may be extremely difficult due to excessibility of the connector as a result of subsequent assembly operations. Therefore, what is needed is to include a feature within the electrical connector to assure that false mating, as described above, does not occur.

It is an object of this invention to provide an electrical connector that alleviates false mating of the mating connector halves.

It is another object of this invention to provide an electrical connector with an anti-false mating assurance feature that would be easily incorporated into existing connector styles.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an electrical connection having anti-false mating assurance features that is simple and economical to produce and utilize.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing an electrical connector assembly comprising mating connector halves having a complementary lug and camming slide track for drawing the mating connector halves together, and a second lug and a corresponding clearance track disposed along their respective connector halves from the corresponding feature in the direction of mating.

It is an advantage of this invention that anti-false mating assurance may be provided within the scope of an existing connector. It is another advantage of this invention that anti-false mating assurance may be provided to electrical connector in a simple manner, such that the mating slide cannot be fully actuated if the connectors are not properly positioned.

The invention will now be described with reference to following drawings, wherein; Figure 1 is a perspective and exploded view of an electrical connector according to the prior art; Figure 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the features of an electrical connector system according to the Brazil Invention that may be incorporated into the prior art connector to provide anti-false mating assurance; Figure 3 is a side view of the camming slide and mating lugs of a connector of Figure 2 illustrating the fully installed position; and Figure 4 is a side view of the mating slide and lugs of the connector assembly of Figure 2 illustrating the false mating position.

With reference now to Figure 2, an electrical connector assembly 100 is presented such that the additional components necessary to provide anti-false mating assurance to the connector assembly 2 of Figure 1 are shown. Corresponding that similar features are designated by the similar reference number, however the series 100 numbers are used. The mating direction of the connector is indicated by arrows A. The second connector half 108 includes a second assurance lug 150 along the outer surface of the shroud 144 and disposed along the axis of insertion A between the camming lugs 146 and a mating face 152. The space 154 exists between the clearance feature and the camming lug 146. The mating slide according to the present invention is shown generally at 114. The mating slide includes the actuating tooth 136 and camming slot tracks 134 as described above.

However, a second clearance track 154 is provided axially above one of the camming tracks 134 such that when properly mated the clearance lug 150 would be received therein. The construction of the camming slots 134 provide a finger 158 having a width greater than the space between the clearance lug 150 and its corresponding camming lug 146. It is important to note that it may be desirable to incorporate these lugs upon the slide and the various tracks upon the mating connector half.

With reference now to Figure 3, the camming slide 114 is shown in the position ready for actuation with the lugs 146 and clearance lug 150 in fully received position. In this position the mating connector halves would be properly mated such that actuation of the slides 114 would result in the connector halves being drawn together in a proper electrical connection being effectuated. The clearance lug 150 would travel within the clearance track 156. It may also be possible to use the clearance lug 150 as a second camming lug within track 156 if desirable.

With reference now to Figure 4, the false mated position is shown. In the false mated position, the mating connector halves are only partially inserted. Upon actuation of the mating slide 114 the finger 138 will try to fit between the clearance lug 150 and the camming lug 146 where space 154 exists. As the finger 138 is larger than this space 154 actuation of the slide 114 is prevented, thereby full proof indication to the installer as the actuating lever could not be fully displaced. It is important to position the clearance lug 150 along a shroud of the connector housing such that it is close enough to the mating face 152, so that anything short of the mating necessary to produce the false mating shown in Figure 4 would result in the connector halves simply falling apart under their own weight.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising mating connector halves having a complementary lug and camming slide track for drawing the mating connector halves together, and a second lug and a cooperation clearance track disposed on the respective connector halves.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the camming slide track and clearance track (156) are included in a camming slide.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the tracks are disposed relative to one another in the direction of mating.

4. The electrical connector assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein an actuating tooth is included in the slide for movement of the slide by a lever.

5. The electrical connector assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a pair of slides are included with each slide having a pair of camming tracks, and the clearance track is disposed in-line with one of the camming slide tracks.

6. The electrical connector assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the connectors includes a seal that fits within a base of the mating connector where the second lug corresponds to the camming slot track when the seal and base initially come into engagement.

7. An electrical connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.