Electrical connector
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsRichard J. Scherer, Joseph N. Castiglione, Ronald K. Revell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical connector includes a connector housing, a plurality of electrical contacts, and an ejector mechanism coupled to an end of the connector housing. The ejector mechanism has means for ejecting a mating connector out of the connector housing upon movement of the ejector mechanism relative to the connector housing and means for releasably locking a mating connector in the electrical connector. The ejector mechanism is configured to be positioned in at least three stop positions, and optionally includes at least one interference feature configured to define a stop position allowing insertion of a mating connector. The electrical connector can be part of an electrical connector system.
Claims21
An electrical connector comprising:
- a connector housing configured to receive a mating connector and including a plurality of electrical contacts for engaging a plurality of contacts of the mating connector;
- and
- an ejector mechanism coupled to an end of the connector housing, the ejector mechanism comprising:
- means for ejecting a mating connector out of the connector housing upon movement of the ejector mechanism relative to the connector housing;
- and
- means for releasably locking the mating connector in the electrical connector,
- wherein the ejector mechanism is configured to be positioned in at least three stop positions.
An ejector mechanism for use in an electrical connector having a connector housing configured to receive a mating connector and a plurality of electrical contacts for engaging a plurality of contacts of the mating connector, the ejector mechanism comprising:
- means for ejecting a mating connector out of the connector housing upon movement of the ejector mechanism relative to the connector housing;
- and
- means for releasably locking the mating connector in the electrical connector,
- wherein the ejector mechanism is configured to be positioned in at least three stop positions.
An electrical connector system comprising:
- an electrical connector comprising:
- a connector housing configured to receive a mating connector and including a plurality of electrical contacts for engaging a plurality of contacts of the mating connector;
- and
- an ejector mechanism coupled to an end of the connector housing, the ejector mechanism comprising:
- means for ejecting a mating connector out of the connector housing upon movement of the ejector mechanism relative to the connector housing;
- and
- means for releasably locking the mating connector in the electrical connector,
- wherein the ejector mechanism is configured to be positioned in at least three stop positions;
- and
- a mating connector configured to be electrically connected to the electrical connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.