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US 8,011,938 B2Granted
Electrical connector having linear actuator
AssigneeTyco Electroniccs Corporation
InventorsGalen M Martin, John Raymond Shuey, James Gundermann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connector assembly is shown having a housing member with a mating assist which rotatably draws complementary connectors together. The mating assist is actuated by way of a linear actuator which rotates the mating assist member.
Claims16
An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
- a housing for mating with a mating connector along a mating axis, the housing having at least one terminal receiving cavity extending therethrough;
- a mating assist member operatively connected to the housing;
- and
- an actuator member, being movable relative to the mating assist members and the housing and causing movement of the mating assist member, upon movement of the actuator member relative to the housing along the mating axis,
- wherein each mating assist member is comprised of a rotary mating assist member, and the rotary mating assist member has gear teeth which cooperate with gear teeth on the mating connector, and each rotary mating assist member further comprises a lever connected to the rotary member at one end thereof, and having a contact member at the opposite end of the lever, and the actuator member comprises a first contact surface, whereby upon linear movement of the actuator member, the first contact surface engages the contact member, rotating the rotary mating assist member.
2 more elements
An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
- a housing for mating with a mating connector along a mating axis, the housing having at least one terminal receiving cavity extending therethrough, the housing having a mating assist member operatively connected to the housing, where the mating assist member is comprised of a rotary mating assist member having a lever crank attached thereto and the mating assist member includes at least one gear tooth;
- and
- an actuator member, movable relative to the housing along the mating axis, and being interengagingly cooperable with the mating assist member, thereby moving the at least one gear tooth upon movement of the actuator member;
- wherein the lever crank has a contact member, and the actuator member comprises a first contact surface, whereby upon linear movement of the actuator member, the first contact surface engages the contact member, which rotates the rotary member.
1 more element
An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
- a housing for mating with a mating connector along a mating axis, the housing having at least one terminal receiving cavity extending therethrough, the housing having a mating assist member operatively connected to the housing, the housing including an end wall upon which the rotary mating assist member rotates and the end wall is discontinuous along at least one side thereof defining an internal opening, the mating assist member is comprised of a rotary mating assist member having a lever crank attached thereto and includes at least one gear tooth;
- and
- an actuator member, movable relative to the housing along the mating axis, and being interengagingly cooperable with the mating assist member, thereby moving the at least one gear tooth upon movement of the actuator member;
- wherein the at least one gear tooth of the rotary mating assist member is positioned along the peripheral edge of the rotary mating assist member, and is positioned within the internal opening.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.