Electric connector assembly

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly includes: a connector housing; a mating assist lever pivotally connected to the connector housing, the lever being movable from a preliminary mating position to a full mating position to facilitate a mating process of the connector housing; a cover; and a connector position assurance element arranged on the mating assist lever and movable between a first position and a second position. The CPA element includes a latching member that engages a locking portion on the mating assist lever in a first position, and the latching member is adapted to be released from the locking portion when the cover is mounted to the connector housing such that the CPA element can be brought to a second position in which the CPA element ensures correct positioning of the lever and prevents disconnection of the lever relative to the connector housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to an electrical connector assembly. More specifically, it relates to an electrical connector assembly comprising connector modules from a set of connector modules, the electrical connector assembly being mated to a corresponding mating electrical connector assembly, and disconnected by operation of a lever of the electrical connector assembly. Background Technology

[0002] A common "rod-type" electrical connector includes a first connector assembly or housing and a second connector assembly or plug assembly. To mate the connector assemblies together, the connector has an actuating rod or auxiliary rod mounted for pivoting on the first connector assembly, wherein pivoting of the rod causes the first and second connector assemblies to switch between an unfitted configuration and a fully fitted configuration. Typically, the actuating rod and the second connector assembly typically have cam grooves and cam follower arrangements for pulling the second connector assembly into a mating state with the first connector assembly in response to the pivoting of the rod. This type of connector is commonly used in the automotive industry but requires complex mechanics.

[0003] A typical example of this type of rod-type electrical connector is a generally U-shaped rod structure with a pair of relatively thin-walled lever side bars (operating handle side bars) positioned on opposite sides of the housing connector. The lever side bars may have cam grooves for engaging cam follower protrusions or posts on opposite sides of the plug assembly. These types of rod connectors are typically used in situations requiring relatively large forces to engage and disengage paired connector assemblies. For example, frictional forces encountered during connector assembly connection and disconnection may make the process difficult to perform manually. In some cases, relatively large electrical connectors with a high pin count, such as connectors with 90 or more pin contacts, require at least approximately 300 N to engage or disengage the connector. Furthermore, automotive industry standards specify a maximum user input force of 75 N to perform this engagement and disengagement of the connector.

[0004] An example of such a rod-type connector assembly with a U-shaped rod engaging a cam groove is disclosed in patent document US10,374,356B2.

[0005] Patent document EP2274800B1 describes an electrical connector device having a first connector assembly and a second mating connector assembly or plug, the first connector being mounted to the second mating connector assembly or plug. The first connector assembly includes an overall U-shaped rod and a drive gear, wherein a rod protrusion extends from one side and the drive gear extends from the other side. During mating of the connector assembly, the rod protrusion is received in a horizontal cam track on each longitudinal side of the plug. The drive gear and the rod protrusion are positioned inside the housing of the first connector assembly, while the rod is primarily positioned outside the housing. Therefore, this connector requires a complex installation process and has an increased dimension in the lateral direction.

[0006] The problem with all these rod-type electrical connector assemblies is that, when subjected to the vibrations typical of a vehicle in use, the rod can disconnect from the housing and pivot in the open direction. This could pose a safety hazard if the first connector assembly and the second mating connector assembly disconnect.

[0007] The purpose of this disclosure is to overcome the shortcomings of existing connectors, and in particular to provide an electrical connector that is safe to use, can be easily mated and unmated, has a reliable design, can be easily installed, and has a small footprint. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The above-mentioned objectives are achieved at least in part by the assembly method of the electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 or the electrical connector assembly according to claim 13.

[0009] Specifically, the above objective is achieved by an electrical connector assembly comprising: a connector housing; a mating aid rod pivotally connected to the connector housing, movable from a preliminary mating position to a fully mating position to facilitate the mating process of the connector housing; a cover; and a connector position guarantee (CPA) element disposed on the mating aid rod and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the CPA element includes a locking member that engages a locking portion on the mating aid rod in the first position, and the locking member is adapted to release from the locking portion when the cover is mounted on the connector housing, allowing the CPA element to be moved to a second position in which the CPA element ensures the correct positioning of the rod and prevents the rod from disengaging relative to the housing. Therefore, the CPA element can only move to the second position when the cover is placed in the correct position within the electrical connector assembly. This is a control mechanism to ensure that the different components of the electrical connector assembly are assembled together correctly. Accordingly, if at any stage the cover is not in the correct position, or the rod is not in the correct fully mating position, the CPA element cannot be moved to the second position, and personnel on the assembly line will realize that the mating has not been correctly completed. Subsequently, when the CPA element moves to the second position, accidental disconnection can be avoided, such as due to vibration of a vehicle equipped with an electrical connector assembly.

[0010] The lever can be connected to the connector housing by means of a main locking device on the main locking member, so as to reversibly lock the lever to the connector housing in the fully closed position. Of course, other reversible connection devices can be conceived alternatively, such as buckles, clamps, clips, pins, snaps, etc. An important feature is that it should be easily reversible, because the lever pivots during assembly and can subsequently be unlocked and opened to pivot again during mating.

[0011] The CPA element may include a blocking element configured to allow the main locking member to unlock when the CPA element is in a first position on the lever, and to prevent the main locking member from unlocking when the CPA element is in a second position. In one embodiment, the blocking element has a plate-like shape that inserts into a channel behind the main locking member and substantially fills the entire space of the channel. When the blocking element is inserted into the channel, it acts as a wedge. This is a reliable and robust locking method that is not easily broken even under harsh conditions such as vibration environments. The blocking element may be integrally manufactured with the rest of the CPA element.

[0012] The main locking element is pivotally arranged at its central axis such that when the blocking element is in a first position, the main locking element allows pivoting to disengage from the main locking device; while when the blocking element is in a second position, the main locking element is blocked and cannot pivot to disengage from the main locking device. In the first position, the blocking element is positioned above the central axis of the main locking element about which it pivots. This leaves sufficient space below the axis to allow the main locking element to tilt out of engagement with the main locking device. In the second position, the blocking element slides through the central axis in a channel to fill the space next to the main locking element. Because the space for tilting the locking element is filled, it is impossible to pivot the main locking element out of engagement. The central axis is located in the central region of the main locking element and divides the main locking element into two segments. The first segment has a first length, and the second segment has a second length, which may differ from the first length. The only requirement is that the first and second lengths need to be long enough to function as levers. The length of the lever can be selected according to the force desired to activate the lever mechanism, thereby locking and unlocking the main locking element.

[0013] To release the locking member of the CPA from the locking portion on the rod and allow movement of the CPA element from a first position to a second position, the cover may include an activation tab that engages the locking member of the CPA element to release the locking member from the locking portion of the rod, allowing the CPA element to move from the first position to the second position. The activation tab may be a protruding element that engages the locking member only when it is in the correct position. As mentioned, there is immediate feedback regarding whether the cover is properly positioned when it is assembled. The protruding element then deflects the locking member, causing it to be pulled out of engagement with the locking portion of the rod. The CPA element can then slide to the second position, where it prevents the main locking member from being engaged with the main locking device on the connector housing.

[0014] In detail, the locking member may further include a retaining feature disposed on the flexible arm, which abuts against the locking portion of the lever in a first position. With this arrangement, the CPA element cannot move to the second position unless the retaining feature is brought out of contact with the locking portion. Because the retaining feature is located at a distance from the attachment point of the flexible arm, for example at the end of the flexible arm, the retaining feature can be brought out of contact by bending the flexible arm.

[0015] The CPA may also include an anti-loss locking element that cooperates with an anti-loss stop feature on the rod to hold the CPA in a first position. The anti-loss locking element is adapted to prevent movement of the CPA in a direction opposite to the direction of movement from the first position to the second position. The anti-loss locking element is designed to ensure that, during the installation steps of the connector assembly, the CPA element remains on the rod once it is connected. When the CPA element is first connected to the rod during installation, it will snap into the first position. From here, the CPA element cannot leave the rod because the anti-loss locking element prevents the CPA element from sliding out. Other types of mechanisms for holding the CPA within the rod are also conceivable, such as clips, resilient elements in grooves, or inclined toothed sides, as long as they are blocked in a direction opposite to the direction in which the CPA element is mounted on the rod.

[0016] To ensure the CPA element does not slip out, the anti-loss locking mechanism may include a stop surface on the flexible leg, with the deflection direction of the flexible leg perpendicular to the deflection direction of the flexible arm. By selecting a different deflection direction for the flexible arm relative to the flexible leg, it ensures that the CPA element remains securely attached to the rod even when the cover is mounted on the connector housing, because the deflection of the flexible arm has no effect on the deflection of the flexible leg. In monolithically molded CPA elements, such as those produced by injection molding or 3D printing, the combination of the flexible leg and the stop surface is easy to manufacture. It combines simple deflection for effortless CPA element mounting with sufficient springback to bias the stop surface into contact with the anti-loss locking feature.

[0017] To allow the flexible leg to deflect during CPA element installation, the flexible leg is approximately U-shaped. This arrangement ensures that the pivot point of the flexible leg of the anti-loss locking element is in the guide slot of the insertion rod before the flexible leg, minimizing insertion problems. The stop surface of the flexible leg then snaps into contact with the anti-loss stop feature.

[0018] When the rod is connected to the connector housing at the pivot axis, the CPA element is preferably assembled to the rod on the opposite side of the pivot axis. The force required to hold the rod is minimized when the applied force is as far away from the pivot axis as possible. As mentioned earlier, it may not be possible to position the CPA element on the opposite side of the pivot axis. In this case, it is still advantageous to position the CPA element as far away from the pivot axis as possible to benefit from the leverage effect.

[0019] In some examples, the rod is generally U-shaped and includes a crossbar and two side bars extending from the ends of the crossbar. The pivot axis is then located at the ends of the side bars, and the CPA element is advantageously connected to the crossbar of the rod. As mentioned earlier, the CPA element can be connected at, for example, another location on the side bars. The U-shaped rod has the advantage of ergonomically handling mating forces and evenly distributing the mating forces on both sides of the connector assembly.

[0020] To assemble the electrical connector into a preliminary mating state, in one embodiment, the steps are as follows:

[0021] The CPA element and the rod are assembled in a predetermined first assembly position. To retain the CPA element in the first assembly position, the CPA element may include a retaining feature that cooperates with a corresponding feature on the rod. Before or after the CPA is attached to the rod, the rod is pivotally connected to the connector housing at a pivot axis. In any case, the CPA element is advantageously positioned on opposite sides of the pivot axis. When the rod is rotated to a fully closed position, in which the rod reversibly locks to the connector housing, a cover can be engaged on the connector housing. The cover may include an activation tab configured to remove at least a portion of the retaining feature of the CPA element from the retaining position, such that the CPA element is allowed to slide from the first assembly position to a second locking position, in which the rod can be locked to the connector housing in a locked position.

[0022] The connector housing is reversibly locked to the rod by means of a locking device on the main locking member engaging with the connector housing. Typically, the cover is engaged onto the connector housing after the cable and connector module have been installed. Once the cover is engaged, the rod is unlocked and brought to an open, preliminary mating state, in which the rod is secured to the cover. In the preliminary mating state, the connector assembly is ready to mate with the mating connector assembly.

[0023] Once assembled, the steps required to mate the electrical connector assembly with the mating connector assembly are exemplarily as follows. First, the electrical connector assembly is provided in an initial mating position. This connector assembly already houses the connector module and cable, and a cover is placed on the connector assembly to protect the connector module and cable. Then, the connector assembly is initially mated with the mating connector assembly such that, in a subsequent step, when the lever is rotated to the fully closed position, the connector assembly engages with the mating connector assembly and the two connector assemblies are pulled towards each other. At the end of rotation, in the fully closed position, the lever locks to the connector housing. To secure the locking element of the lever and thus prevent the two connector assemblies from disconnecting, the CPA element moves from a first position to a second position, in which the CPA element locks the lever to the connector housing. The lever can be locked to the connector housing by means of a blocking tab of the CPA element; this blocking tab moves from a first assembled position to a second locked position, in which, in the first assembled position, the blocking tab allows the main blocking locking element to disengage from the locking device, and in the second locked position, the blocking tab prevents the locking element from unlocking.

[0024] To disengage the connector assembly from the mating connector assembly, the reverse steps can be followed. First, move the CPA element from the second locking position to the first position, where the main locking member is allowed to tilt and disengage. Then, push the end of the main locking member to engage with the main locking device on the connector housing, and pivot the lever to the initial mating position. By pivoting the lever, the mating connector assembly is disconnected from the connector assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional view of a first preferred embodiment of the electrical connector assembly;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a 3D exploded view of some components of an electrical connector assembly;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional view of the rod of the electrical connector assembly;

[0029] Figure 4 It is a 3D view of the details of the lever, showing the main locking element and the locking part of the lever;

[0030] Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional view of the cross section of the locking element through the rod, showing the pivot axis of the locking element;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional view of the CPA component, showing the blocking element of the CPA component;

[0032] Figure 7 It is a three-dimensional view of the CPA element and part of the rod before it is installed on the rod;

[0033] Figure 8 It is a three-dimensional view of the CPA element and part of the rod mounted on the rod, showing a cross section of the retaining feature of the locking member passing through the CPA element;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional view of the CPA element mounted on the rod and a portion of the rod, showing the perpendicularity to... Figure 8 Another section of the cross-section shown exposes the anti-loss locking element of the CPA component and the anti-loss stop feature on the rod;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional view of the CPA element mounted on the rod, part of the rod, and part of the connector housing, showing another cross-section through the main locking element, connector housing, and CP element with a blocking element in the first position of the rod;

[0036] Figure 11It is a three-dimensional view of the CPA element mounted on the rod, similar to Figure 10 The view in the image also shows the location where the cover is installed;

[0037] Figure 12 The CPA is shown in sequence in the first position and in the second position, with details of the CPA element in the second position, the connector housing, the rod, and the cover shown through cross-sections at two different levels.

[0038] Figure 13 This is a side view of the connector assembly, showing the mounting sequence covering the connector housing;

[0039] Figure 14 This is a side view of the connector assembly, where the cover is mounted on the connector housing and the rod is in the fully engaged position;

[0040] Figure 15 This is a 3D view of the installed connector assembly, showing a detailed 3D cross-sectional view of the electrical connector in its working position, illustrating the second gear element;

[0041] Figure 16 yes Figure 1 Side view of the electrical connector in its pre-assembled position;

[0042] Figure 17 This is a cross-sectional view showing the gear and rod attachments of the mating mechanism in the pre-assembled position. Detailed Implementation

[0043] In the following, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a first preferred embodiment of an electrical connector assembly is shown.

[0045] The electrical connector assembly 1 includes: a connector housing 10; a mating auxiliary rod (matting auxiliary rod lever) 20 pivotally connected to the connector housing 10; a cover 50; and a CPA element 60 movable between a first position and a second position. The rod (lever) can move from the initial mating position ( Figure 1 (Not shown) Move to such Figure 1 The fully mating position shown facilitates the mating process between the connector housing 10 and the mating electrical connector assembly. When the CPA element 60 is in the position shown... Figure 1 In the first position shown, the rod 20, which is reversibly locked to the connector housing 10, can be unlocked by disengaging the main locking member 21 from the main locking device 11 on the connector housing 10, as shown. Figure 11 As shown.

[0046] Figure 2The exploded view shows in more detail two sets of gears 30, 30', 40, 40', including means for pushing the mating connector assembly into a mating position with the connector assembly. The connector housing is divided into three slots: a main slot and two side slots, in which gears 30, 30', 40, 40' are received. Rod 20 has a crossbar 22 and two side rods 24, 24' extending from the end of the crossbar. The rod is pivotally connected to the housing by pins 34, 34' on the first set of gears 30, 30', which are received in elongated holes in the side slots. The second set of gears 40, 40' is connected to the housing by pins 44, 44', which are also received in holes in the side slots.

[0047] The housing 10 includes one or more slots 12 for holding a corresponding number of connector modules 70. The connector modules 70 are inserted into the slots of the connector housing 10 from the top and are preferably locked therein by means of resilient locking elements within the slots 12 and / or at the connector modules 70.

[0048] The cover 50 closes the upper end of the electrical connector 1 and protects the cable (not shown) and connector module 70 from mechanical damage. Preferably, the cover is hooked to the connector housing 10 by a form fit at the front end and a connecting device 51 at the rear end.

[0049] like Figure 3 As can be seen in detail, the rod 20 is generally U-shaped and includes a generally horizontal crossbar 22 and two generally vertical side bars 24, 24'. The side bars 24, 24' extend generally vertically from the ends of the crossbar 22.

[0050] The rod 20 also includes a pair of first gear elements 30, 30' integrally formed with the lower ends of the corresponding side rods 24, 24'. The first gear elements 30, 30' and the entire rod 20 are rotatably mounted to the connector housing 10 about an axis A1 defined by first rotating pins 34, 34'. The first rotating pins 34, 34' extend horizontally outward from the first gear elements 30, 30'.

[0051] Each of the first gear elements 30, 30' includes a first set of first gear teeth 31, 31' for meshing with a second set of first gear teeth 41, 41' of the second gear elements 40, 40'. Furthermore, each first gear element 30, 30' includes a toothed protrusion 82 for mating with the electrical connector assembly 80 (see...). Figure 17 The first set of second gear teeth 32 and 32' meshed. Figure 3(Not visible in the image). Therefore, the first gear elements 30, 30' comprise a "double gear configuration" by integrating two distinct gears into one. In the illustrated embodiment, the first set of first gear teeth 31, 31' utilizes a section of the first gear elements 30, 30' and generally points towards the top or interior of the connector housing 10. The first set of second gear teeth 32, 32' utilizes another section of the first gear elements 30, 30' and generally points towards the bottom or exterior of the connector housing 10. The first set of second gear teeth 32, 32' comprises only one full tooth and two half teeth; however, the number of teeth in the first and second sets of first and second gear teeth 31, 31', 32, 32' can be appropriately varied.

[0052] Similar considerations also apply to the paired second gear elements 40, 40' (see...) Figure 2 The second gear elements 40, 40' are rotatable around a pair of second rotating pins 44, 44' extending outward from the second gear elements 40, 40'. Each of the second gear elements 40, 40' includes a second set of first gear teeth 41, 41' for meshing with a first set of first gear teeth 31, 31' of the first gear elements 30, 30', and a second set of second gear teeth 42, 42' for meshing with toothed protrusions 82' of the mating connector assembly 80. Therefore, the second gear elements 40, 40' also include a "double gear configuration" by integrating two different gears into one. In the illustrated embodiment, the second set of first gear teeth 41, 41' occupies a section of the second gear elements 40, 40' and generally points towards the top or interior of the connector housing 10. The second set of second gear teeth 42, 42' occupies another section of the second gear elements 40, 40' and generally points towards the bottom or exterior of the connector housing 10. The second gear teeth 42 and 42' of the second group consist of only one full tooth and two half teeth; however, the number of teeth of the first and second gear teeth 41, 41', 42, and 42' of the second group can be varied appropriately.

[0053] exist Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the diagram, the main locking element 21 is shown on the crossbar 22 of the rod 20. Of course, such a main locking element 21 can also be placed in another position instead of the crossbar, such as the side bars 24, 24' of the rod. Figure 4 The main locking element 21 and its surrounding structure are shown in more detail: the main locking element 21 includes an engagement hook 211 for engaging with the main locking device 11 on the connector housing 10 (see...). Figure 10The main locking member 21 also includes an abutment surface 212 that deflects the main locking member 21 when the lever 20 is pivoted to the fully engaged position, causing the engagement hook 211 at the end of the locking member to engage the main locking device under the action of a spring force. The spring force is provided by attaching the main locking member 21 to the lever at the central axis A2, allowing the main locking member 21 to pivot about the central axis A2 and spring back elastically to its default central position. The central attachment of the main locking member also allows the end 213 of the main locking member to protrude from the crossbar. The main locking member 21 can then be manually pivoted against the spring force by pushing the locking member in direction D1 to disengage the engagement hook 211 from the main locking device on the connector housing 10.

[0054] Figure 6 An embodiment of the CPA element 60 is shown in detail. In the illustrated embodiment, the CPA element 60 has two separate retaining features 61, 62 configured to hold the CPA element in a first assembled position within the crossbar 22 of the lever 20. The CPA element 60 further includes a blocking tab 63. When the CPA element is in the first assembled position on the lever 20, the blocking tab is located above axis A2. Therefore, it allows the main locking member 21 to pivot and unlock. When the CPA element is in a second locked position on the lever 20, the blocking tab is located below axis A2 and prevents the main locking member 21 from unlocking from the connector housing 10. The CPA element 60 may include a guide protrusion 64 that cooperates with a guide groove 23 on the crossbar 22 of the lever 20 to guide the CPA element 60 on the lever 20. To assemble the CPA element with the lever to the first assembled position, the CPA element is moved along direction D2, as follows: Figure 7 As shown. The guide protrusion 64 is inserted into the guide groove 23 of the rod and moves the CPA element until it is blocked by the retaining feature of the locking portion 27 on the abutment rod 20.

[0055] Figure 8 and Figure 9 Details of the holding features 61, 62 that hold the CPA element 60 in a first position are shown. Figure 8 In this configuration, the retaining feature includes a locking member 62 mounted on the flexible arm 622. This locking member includes a retaining feature 621 that cooperates with a locking portion 27 on the rod to retain the CPA element in a second sliding direction opposite to the first sliding direction.

[0056] Figure 9 A cross-section through the anti-loss locking element 61 is shown. The anti-loss locking element 61 is mounted on a generally U-shaped flexible leg 612 and includes a stop surface 611 on the flexible leg 612 that cooperates with the anti-loss stop feature 26 on the rod to prevent the CPA element from falling off the rod by holding it in a first sliding direction.

[0057] exist Figure 10 and Figure 11 The diagram shows a cross-section of the locking mechanism passing through the rod 20 on the connector housing 10. In both figures, the CPA element is in a first position, in which the main locking member 21 can tilt about its axis of rotation to disengage the engagement hook 211 from the main locking device 11. It is evident in both figures that the blocking element 63 of the CPA element 60 terminates before the axis of the locking member 21, i.e., before the connection point between the locking member 21 and the rod 20. As the rod 20 tilts from the initial engagement position to the fully engaged position, the abutment surface 212 pushes the locking member 21 against the main locking device 11, causing the engagement hook 211 to elastically hook onto the main locking device 11. Figure 11 The direction D1 for unlocking the lever 20 from the connector housing 10 is indicated. Pushing the end 23 of the main locking member 20 disengages the engagement hook from the main locking device. Figure 11 Further details are shown of the housing next to the CPA element 60 where the cover 50 is attached. This section does not show how the activating tab 52 pushes the locking member 62 out of engagement. This is possible... Figure 12 As seen in the first two pictures.

[0058] Figure 12 The embodiment further illustrates how the CPA element 60 moves from a first position to a second position, in which the CPA element 60 ensures proper positioning of the rod and cap and prevents the rod from disengaging relative to the connector housing 10. Figure 12 In the last image, the blocking tab fills the space between the main locking member 21 and the crossbar of the lever 20, preventing the main locking member from pivoting further. Thus, even under harsh conditions such as in automotive applications, the locking member 21 can firmly engage the locking portion 27.

[0059] When connector assembly 1 is delivered to the wire harness manufacturer, the cover 50 is not yet attached to connector housing 10. The wire harness manufacturer connects connector module 70 to the cable and then adds the cover to protect the cable and connector module. Figure 13 The installation sequence of cover 50 on connector housing 10 is shown once the wire harness manufacturer has connected all cables. In the first step, the activation tab 52 of cover 50 moves along the indicated direction D3 to connect to connector housing 10. In the second step, cover 50 pivots along the rotational direction R1 until the connecting device 51 on cover 50 engages with the mating connecting device 12 on connector housing 10, thereby securely attaching cover 50 to connector housing 10. This configuration is available in... Figure 14As seen in the image, when the cover 50 is attached to the connector housing 10, the activated tab 52 pushes the locking member 62 of the CPA element 60 to disengage from the locking portion 27, thereby allowing the CPA element 60 to be moved from the first assembly position to the second locking position. In the second locking position, the position of the rod 20 is locked and fixed to the connector housing 10 because the main locking member 21 of the rod is blocked from disengaging from the main locking device 11 on the connector housing 10.

[0060] Once the cover is installed, the rod is brought to the initial mating position. This is how the connector assembly mates with the mating connector assembly 80 upon delivery. Figure 15 , Figure 16 and Figure 17 The rod is shown in its initial mating position. The mating mechanism and the rod's retaining arrangement are... Figure 17 The most clearly visible part is the rod. To secure the rod in the initial mating position, the cover has a rod abutment 53 that cooperates with the groove 241 on the rod 20, and a rod retaining protrusion 54 to temporarily secure the rod in the initial mating position.

[0061] from Figure 17 It is also evident that, through the rotating rod 20, when the first set of first gear teeth 31 of the paired first gear elements 30, 30' and the second set of first gear teeth 41 of the paired second gear elements 40, 40' are respectively engaged, the first pair of gear elements 30, 30' rotate and drive the second pair of gear elements 40, 40'. To connect the connector assembly 1 to the mating connector assembly 80, the first set of second gear teeth 32 of the first gear elements 30, 30' and the second set of second gear teeth 42 of the second gear elements 40, 40' respectively engage with the toothed protrusions 82, 82' of the mating connector assembly 80.

[0062] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0063] 1 Electrical connector assembly

[0064] 10 Connector Housing

[0065] 11 Main locking device

[0066] 20 strokes

[0067] 21 Main locking element

[0068] 211 Connecting hook

[0069] 212 Adjacent surfaces

[0070] 213 End of the main locking element

[0071] 22 crossbars

[0072] 23 Guide slots

[0073] 24, 24' side pole

[0074] 241, 241' slot

[0075] 26 Anti-loss and anti-stopping features

[0076] 27 Locked section

[0077] 30, 30' First gear element

[0078] 31 First gear teeth of the first group

[0079] 32 First group of second gear teeth

[0080] 34, 34' First Rotating Pin

[0081] 40, 40' Second gear element

[0082] 41 Second group of first gear teeth

[0083] 42 Second group of second gear teeth

[0084] 44, 44' Second Rotating Pin

[0085] 50 caps

[0086] 51 Connecting device

[0087] 52 Activate the tab

[0088] 53 pole adjacent components

[0089] 54-bar retains protrusion

[0090] 55. Cover locking mechanism

[0091] 60 Connector Position Assurance (CPA) Component

[0092] 61, 62 retain characteristics

[0093] 61 Anti-loss locking element

[0094] 611 Stopping surface

[0095] 612 Flexible Legs

[0096] 62 Locking components

[0097] 621 Maintaining characteristics

[0098] 622 Flexible Arm

[0099] 63. Blocking tabs

[0100] 64. Guiding Prominence

[0101] 70 Connector Module

[0102] 80 mating connector assembly

[0103] 82, 82' tooth-like projections

[0104] A1 rod pivot axis on connector housing

[0105] A2 Rotation axis of the main locking element on the rod

[0106] D1 First unlocking direction for unlocking the main locking element

[0107] D2 The second assembly direction for assembling CPA components with rods.

[0108] D3 connects the first end of the cover to the third mounting direction on the connector housing.

[0109] R1 connects the cover to the connector housing in the first rotational direction.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly (1), the connector assembly (1) comprising: Connector housing (10); A mating aid rod (20) is pivotally connected to the connector housing (10), the rod (20) being movable from an initial mating position to a fully mating position to facilitate the mating process of the connector housing (20); Cover (50); and A connector position guarantee (CPA) element (60) is arranged on the mating auxiliary rod and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein The connector position guaranteeing element includes a locking member (62) that engages a locking portion (27) on the mating auxiliary rod (20) in the first position, and the locking member (62) is adapted to release from the locking portion (27) when the cover (50) is installed onto the connector housing (10), so that the connector position guaranteeing element (60) can be brought to a second position in which the connector position guaranteeing element (60) ensures the correct positioning of the rod and prevents the rod from disconnecting relative to the connector housing (10).

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rod (20) includes a main locking member (21) that engages a main locking device (11) on the connector housing (10) to reversibly lock the rod (20) onto the connector housing (10) in the fully engaged position.

3. The connector assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connector position guaranteeing element (60) includes a blocking element (63) configured to allow the main locking member (21) to unlock when the connector position guaranteeing element (60) is in the first position on the rod (20), and to prevent the main locking member (21) from unlocking when the connector position guaranteeing element (60) is in the second position.

4. The connector assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The main locking member (21) is pivotally arranged at its central axis (A2) such that when the blocking element (63) is in the first position, the main locking member (21) is allowed to pivot to disengage from the main locking device (11); while when the blocking element (63) is in the second position, the main locking member is blocked and cannot pivot to disengage from the main locking device (11).

5. The connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cover (50) includes an activation tab (52) configured to engage the locking member (62) of the connector position guaranteeing element (60) to release the locking member (62) from the locking portion (27) of the rod (20), thereby allowing the connector position guaranteeing element (60) to move from the first position to the second position.

6. The connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The locking member (62) includes a retaining feature (621) disposed on the flexible arm (622), the retaining feature (621) abutting against the locking portion (27) of the rod (20) in the first position.

7. The connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The connector position guarantee (60) further includes an anti-loss locking element (61) that cooperates with an anti-loss stop feature (26) on the rod to hold the connector position guarantee (60) in the first position.

8. The connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The anti-loss locking element (61) is adapted to prevent the connector position guarantee (60) from moving in a direction opposite to the direction of movement from the first position to the second position.

9. The connector assembly according to claim 5 in conjunction with any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that, The anti-loss locking element (61) includes a stop surface (611) provided on the flexible leg (612), and the deflection direction of the flexible leg (612) is perpendicular to the deflection direction of the flexible arm (622).

10. The connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The flexible leg (612) is generally U-shaped.

11. The connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The rod (20) is connected to the connector housing (10) at the pivot axis (A1), and the connector position guaranteeing element (60) is assembled to the rod (20) on the opposite side of the pivot axis (A1).

12. The connector assembly (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The rod (20) is generally U-shaped and includes a crossbar (22) and two side bars (24, 24') extending from the end of the crossbar (22). The pivot axis (A1) is located at the end of the side bars (24, 24'), and the connector position guarantee element (60) is connected to the crossbar (22) of the rod (20).

13. A method for assembling an electrical connector assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the assembly method comprising the following steps: - A connector housing (10) is provided for the electrical connector assembly having a mating auxiliary rod (20); - Rotate the rod to the fully closed position, in which the rod locks into the connector housing (10); - Install the cover (50) onto the connector housing (10); thereafter - Move the connector position guaranteeing element (60) from the first position to the second position, in which the connector position guaranteeing element locks the rod (20) onto the connector housing (10).

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