Lever-type electrical connector

Details Lever-type electrical connector Lever-type electrical connector

2000-08-23

2001-07-24

Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With coupling separator

Including retainer or joiner

C439S372000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06264485

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever-type electrical connector in which a pair of connector housings containing electrical terminals are fitted to each other. Such a connector is used for example to connect wire bundles in a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lever-type electrical connector is disclosed in JP-A-4-67582. In this connector, male and female connector housings are fitted to each other and a first one of the housings has a lever. The lever has side arms opposing side surfaces of the first connector housing, and is rotatably supported by a shaft. The side arms have drive releases at their inner faces. The second connector housing has a spring projection at each corresponding side surface. The projections of the second housing lock by a latching action into the respective drive projections when the housings are pushed together. Thereafter, when the lever is rotated, the engagement of the projections and drive recesses acts to draw the connector housings together.
However, when the lever is rotated, the lever tends to deform. If this happens, there is a danger that the lever separates from the shaft. To prevent this, a hood is provided on the first connector housing on each side outwardly of the lever to keep the lever in place. The hoods increase the thickness of the connector. Thus, the connector becomes relatively large in its thickness direction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to prevent the lever separating from the connector while minimising the thickness of the connector.
According to the present invention, there is provided a lever-type connector having matingly engageable first and second connector portions and a lever arm rotatably mounted at an outer surface of the first connector portion. The lever arm has a cam groove extending in the plane perpendicular to the axis of lever arm rotation, and the second connector portion has an outwardly projecting follower pin which follows the cam groove to draw the connector portions into mating engagement when the lever arm is rotated with the pin engaged in the cam groove. The lever arm further has a peripheral flange portion, and the second connector portion has a cover portion which overlies at least a part of the outwardly facing side of the flange portion when the lever arm is rotated with the pin engaged in the cam groove, thereby preventing the lever arm from moving outwardly along its axis of rotation.
On rotation of the lever arm, the flange portion, which may be thin, is guided behind the cover portion, which may also be thin. Thus, it is possible to prevent the lever arm separating from the first connector portion. The cover portion may lie substantially flush with the lever arm. Accordingly, it is also possible to provide a compact connector.
Preferably, the follower pin has an end flange which covers a part of an outwardly facing surface of the lever arm when the lever arm is rotated with the pin engaged in the cam groove, thereby also helping to prevent the lever arm from moving outwardly along its axis of rotation.
To minimise thickness of the connector, preferably the cover portion has an outer face which is substantially coplanar with an outer face of the lever arm. Further, preferably the lever arm has a planar outer face and the outwardly facing side of said flange portion is recessed on the lever arm relatively to the planar outer face of said lever arm.
To simplify the process of molding of the second connector portion, preferably with respect to the connection direction in which the second connector portion is moved relative to the first connector portion when the two connector portions are drawn into mating engagement by rotation of the lever arm, the cover portion is located on the second connector portion both rearwardly and laterally from the follower pin. For stability of operation, preferably the second connector portion has two such cover portions, which with respect to the connection direction of the connector portions are both located rearwardly from the follower pin and are respectively laterally spaced from the follower pin on opposite sides of the follower pin.
Preferably, the second connector portion has two said cover portions laterally spaced to either side of the follower pin.
Preferably, the lever-type connector has two said lever arms at respective outer surfaces of opposing side walls of the first connector portion, the two lever arms being connected by an actuator portion whereby both the lever arms are rotatable by moving the actuator portion.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5230635 (1993-07-01), Takenouchi et al.
patent: 5269696 (1993-12-01), Okada et al.
patent: 5551885 (1996-09-01), Yamanashi et al.
patent: 5964604 (1999-10-01), Kashiyama et al.
patent: 6012933 (2000-01-01), Katsuma
patent: 4-67582 (1992-03-01), None

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