Lever type connector

• US 6,012,933 A
• Filed: 08/05/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Katsuma, Takatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hammond, Briggitte R.
• Application Number:
  US08/906,593
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 439/157, 439/372, 439/160
• US Class Current: 439/157
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62933 Comprising exclusively pivoting lever

Abstract

A lever-type electrical connector has resilient return members 40 which extend so as to cut across a radius of a circle which is the center of rotation of the lever 30, and have an anterior end 41 which bends outwards along the radial direction. In this configuration, the anterior end of the pushing member 40 does not protrude excessively from the arm 31, thereby allowing the interaction region of the pushing member 40 that accompanies the pivoting of the lever 30 to be small. Furthermore, the anterior end 41 is pushed in a straight line against the protrusion 25, and thus the return force is more effective.

Claims

1. A lever type connector comprising a housing with a pair of protrusions, and a `C` shaped lever pivoted on the housing, the lever having opposite arms pivoted at one respective end to the housing about a common axis and linked at the other respective end by an operating member, wherein the arms each have a resilient cantilever member with a contact portion to engage one of said protrusions of the housing and thereby resist arcuate movement of the lever in one direction about the common axis, the contact portion of each cantilever member having a longitudinal axis located along a line extending radially from said common axis.

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein each of said cantilever members are generally coplanar with one of said arms.

3. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said cantilever members do not laterally protrude from said arms.

4. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said cantilever members each have a root adjacent said common axis, an inner portion projecting outwardly at an inclination to said root, and a free end comprising said contact portion.

5. A connector according to claim 4 wherein the lever is pivotable to an end stop, and said cantilever members and respective protrusions first engage near said end stop.

6. A connector according to claim 4 wherein the meeting of the inner portion and contact portion of each of said cantilever members comprise a bend.

7. A connector according to claim 6 wherein said cantilever members and respective protrusions first engage at said bend.

8. A connector according to claim 5 wherein the meeting of the inner portion and contact portion of each of said cantilever members comprise a bend.

9. A connector according to claim 8 wherein said cantilever members and respective protrusions first engage at said bend.

10. A connector according to claim 1 and further including latch members on said lever and said housing, said latch members being engageable to hold said lever and said housing against relative movement.

11. A connector according to claim 10 wherein said resilient cantilever members resist the movement of said latch members toward each other.