US 5,476,391 AGranted

Lever type connector assembly

AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.

InventorTakatoshi Katsuma

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Abstract

This invention simplifies a process of attaching a torsion coil spring (6) to an arm (22) of a lever (21). Each arm (22) of the lever (21) is provided on its inner face with a ring slot (25) formed around a bearing hole (23) for accommodating a ring portion (6a) of the torsion coil spring (6) and a pair of holding slots (26 ) and (27) communicated with the ring slot (25) for accommodating end portions (6b) and (6c). A raised guide (29) is formed on the inner face of the arm (22) near an outer edge of the holding slot (27). The raised guide (29) has a ramp face (30) which continuously increases in height approaching the holding slot (27) and a precipices (33) contiguous to the outer edge of the slot (27). The arm (22) of the lever (21) may be provided on its inner face with a circular are tool slot (32) having a certain depth and extending from an end face of the arm (22) across a cam groove to the holding slot (27).

Claims3

Dependent claims

A lever type connector assembly comprises:

a pair of first and second connector housings;
a lever having a pair of arms on opposite ends and mounted rotatably on said first connector housing, said arms being provided on its inner face with a cam groove which engages with a cam follower on said second connector housing, said first and second connector housings being connected with and detached from each other when said lever is turned to move said cam follower;
torsion coil springs having a central ring portion and a pair of first and second end portions extending from said ring portion, each torsion coil spring being coupled to said first connector housing and said arm of said lever to bias said lever toward a given rotary direction, said arm of said lever being provided on its inner face with a central ring slot adapted to accommodate said ring portion of said central ring portion and a pair of first and second holding slots communication with said central ring slot and adapted to accommodate said first and second end portions of said spring with said spring being biased;
means for transferring said second end portion of said spring accommodated in said second holding slot in said arm to said first connector housing after mounting said lever to said first connector housing;
and
means provided on said inner faces of said arms for assuring engagement with a tool and said second end portion of said spring when transferring said second end portion to said first connector housing.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.