Electrical connector assembly with axial connection assist

A connector, comprising:

• a first-housing having a first-outer-surface defining a guide-slot;
• a second-housing having a second-outer-surface, wherein the second-housing is configured to mate with the first-housing, said second-housing including a pin extending from the second-outer-surface, said pin defining a cam-portion and a guide-portion, wherein the guide-portion is configured to engage the guide-slot;
• a mate-assist-slider moveable from an unmated-position to a mated-position, said mate-assist-slider longitudinally slideably mounted to and surrounding at least a portion of the first-outer-surface, said mate-assist-slider including a gear-rack having rack-teeth;
• and
• a cam-gear moveably mounted to the first-outer-surface, said cam-gear having gear-teeth that engage the rack-teeth such that the cam-gear moves in response to a movement of the mate-assist-slider from the unmated-position to the mated-position, said cam-gear defining a cam-slot for receiving the cam-portion of the pin wherein the cam-slot has an entrance and a stop, said cam-gear further defining a pivot-hole configured to movably mount the cam-gear on a pivot-pin of the first-housing, said pivot-hole defining an opening, wherein a portion of the pivot-hole is in communication with the cam-slot and wherein when the mate-assist-slider is moved from the unmated-position to the mated-position the pin is axially pulled to the stop thereby mating the second-housing with the first-housing such that the pin and the pivot-pin are spaced less than 0.7 millimeters apart at the opening.

A connector, comprising:

• a first-housing having a first-outer-surface defining a guide-slot;
• a second-housing having a second-outer-surface, wherein the second-housing is configured to mate with the first-housing, said second-housing including a pin extending from the second-outer-surface, said pin defining a cam-portion and a guide-portion, wherein the guide-portion is configured to engage the guide-slot;
• a mate-assist-slider moveable from an unmated-position to a mated-position, said mate-assist-slider longitudinally slideably mounted to and surrounding at least a portion of the first-outer-surface, said mate-assist-slider including a gear-rack having rack-teeth;
• and
• a cam-gear moveably mounted to the first-outer-surface, said cam-gear having gear-teeth that engage the rack-teeth such that the cam-gear moves in response to a movement of the mate-assist-slider from the unmated-position to the mated-position, said cam-gear defining a cam-slot for receiving the cam-portion of the pin, wherein the cam-gear includes a locking-tab, said locking-tab configured to prevent the movement of the cam-gear and the mate-assist-slider until an unlock-rib extending from the second-housing disengages the locking-tab as the second-housing is mated with the first-housing.