Electrical distribution center assembly

An electrical distribution center assembly comprising:

• at least one electrical connector;
• an electrical distribution center member mateable with said at least one electrical connector, said electrical distribution center member including at least one connector shroud for guidably receiving said electrical connector in a direction parallel with respect to a connection axis;
• a support member supporting said at least one electrical connector in a position and orientation to enable said at least one electrical connector to mate with said electrical distribution center member, said support member including at least one cam guide projection extending from an inside of a wall thereof and a first guide member;
• at least one cam lever rotatably attached to said electrical distribution center member, said at least one cam lever being rotatable around a respective rotation axis, each of said at least one rotation axis extending generally orthogonally with respect to said connection axis, each of said at least one cam lever including an arm and a cam track, said cam track having a first portion shaped to gradually approach said respective rotation axis to urge said cam guide projection toward said rotation axis as said cam lever rotates in a first rotational direction;
• and
• a driver member positioned on a top portion of said electrical distribution center member and engageable with said first guide member to guide a movement of said driver member along a path aligned generally parallel with respect to said connection axis, said driver member being formed to abut said at least one arm such that a movement of said driver member in a first axial direction along said path causes said at least one cam lever to rotate in said first rotational direction,
• wherein when said at least one cam guide projection is projected into said first portion of said cam track, said first guide member is engaged with said driver member, said electrical connector is received in said connector shroud, and said driver member abuts said at least one arm, an engagement force applied to said driver member causes said driver member to move along said path in said first axial direction, whereby said driver member causes said at least one cam lever to rotate and multiply said engagement force to overcome a resistance and cause said electrical distribution center member and said at least one electrical connector to be engaged.

An electrical distribution center assembly comprising:

• at least one electrical connector;
• an electrical distribution center member mateable along a connection axis with said at least one electrical connector;
• a support member supporting said at least one electrical connector in a position extending from inside of walls thereof and orientation to enable said at least one electrical connector to mate with said electrical distribution center member, said support member including a plurality of cam guide projections and a first guide member;
• a plurality of spaced apart cam levers rotatably attached to said electrical distribution center member, each of said cam levers being rotatable around a respective rotation axis, each said rotation axis extending generally orthogonally with respect to said connection axis, each of said cam levers including an arm and a cam track, said arm including a boss, said cam track having a first portion shaped to gradually approach said respective rotation axis to urge said cam guide projection toward said rotation axis as said cam lever rotates in a first rotational direction;
• and
• a driver member engageable with said first guide member to guide movement of said driver member positioned on a top portion of said electrical distribution center member and along a path aligned generally parallel with respect to said connection axis, said driver member including a plurality of slots, each for receiving a respective one of said at least one boss, wherein movement of said driver member in a first direction along said path axially away from said support member causes said cam levers to rotate in said first rotational direction,
• wherein during a first connecting step, each of said cam guide projections being projected into said first portion of said respective cam track, whereby said cam levers support said electrical distribution center member, said first guide member being engaged with said driver member, and each of said bosses being engaged with a respective one of said slots, a first engagement force applied to said driver member sufficient to pull said driver member away from said support member to an intermediate connection position causes said driver member to move along said path in said first direction, wherein said driver member causes said cam levers to rotate in said first rotational direction and multiply said first engagement force to overcome a resistance and draw said electrical distribution center member axially toward an engage with said at least one electrical connector.

An electrical distribution center assembly comprising:

• an electrical connector;
• a support member having vertical walls supporting said electrical connector, said support member comprising a structure in which a plurality of cam guide projections are formed on inside walls of the support member;
• an actuating driver member having downward extending alignment projections linearly movably engaged with said support member in a direction substantially parallel with said vertical walls;
• an electrical distribution center member mateable with said electrical connector, said electrical distribution center member comprising a housing;
• and
• a plurality of cam levers rotatably attached to said housing, each cam lever including an arm formed for abutment with said driver member, each cam lever further including a cam track formed therein engaged with a respective one of said cam guide projections, said cam levers supporting said electrical distribution center member when said electrical distribution center member is in a pre-mating position,
• wherein when said electrical distribution center member is in said pre-mating position an engagement movement of said driver member toward said electrical connector causes said driver member to abut said arms causing said cam levers to rotate thereby mating said electrical distribution center member with said electrical connector.

A method for mating an electrical distribution center member with an electrical connector comprising:

• providing a support member having at least one cam guide projection, extending from an inside wall thereof an electrical connector attached to said support member, an electrical distribution center member mateable with said electrical connector, at least one cam lever rotatably attached on said electrical distribution center member, each of said at least one cam lever including an arm and a cam track, said at least one cam guide projection being capable of projecting into a respective one of said at least one cam track for drawing together said electrical distribution center member and said at least one connector in response to a rotational movement of said cam lever, and a driver member having at least one downward extending alignment projection capable of abutting said at least one arm such that an engagement movement of said at least one downward extending alignment projection of said driver member relative to said at least one arm causes said rotational movement, said cam lever being operable to increase an engagement force by leverage;
• projecting said at least one cam guide projection into said cam track;
• abutting said downward extending alignment projection against said arm;
• and
• applying said engagement force to said driver member to cause said engagement movement until said electrical distribution center member and said electrical connector are mated.